


Within The Shadows Part 2 - Valley Of Eternal Dusk

by Shiguresan



Series: Within the Shadows [2]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Fantasy, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-04-19
Updated: 2014-01-18
Packaged: 2018-01-09 05:31:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 52,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1142047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shiguresan/pseuds/Shiguresan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The sequel to: “Within The Shadows Part 1 – From Fear Top Infinity”. Inuyasha finally faces a foe, which may prove too strong for him to defeat, one which will force him to finally admit his true heart’s desire… If he doesn’t he’ll lose Kagome forever to the darkness that’s after her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Power Surge

**Author's Note:**

> Written when I was only 14 so be kind. I've advanced much since then...
> 
> Disclaimer: Inuyasha and it's trademarks belong to VIZ and Rumiko Takahashi. The Plot, All titles including chapter titles are mine, and extra characters are mine.

**Power Surge**  
-One-  
  
  
The air seemed less bitter as she emerged from the well. She could taste the freshness in a world where no cars, trains, electricity or any pollution had found its way; Kagome dwelled in this other time feeling free and happy, feelings she rarely had the time or _space_ to feel in her own time. The wind flew about her, blowing her dark hair out of her face and the sun shone warmly down on her. However, something seemed to be wrong. She gazed about her but could find no trace of him, or the others, when last she left (only two days ago) nothing was pursuing them. Starting to feel anxious, the atmosphere, Kagome now realised had an eerie peacefulness to it, and it felt wrong somehow; she found herself wanting to jump back down the well, and wait for him to come for her as he sometimes did. But no, they had always saved her, helped her if she needed them. Knowing she would be of little use anyway, she took a deep breath and walked across the clearing and into the forest.  
  
Every sound startled her, as she walked deeper into the forest she began to think of terrible things which might have happened to her friends, things that might happen to her. Beginning to ponder turning back, she stopped. She'd heard something. Silence fell. Then suddenly, something grabbed her ankles and pulled her into a small pit which seemed to have been hidden by the bushes. The priestess struggled round from her heap in the dirt, only to find him lying there next to her.  
‘Inuyasha?’ she asked.  
‘Shush, idiot!’ he whispered lying there. His arm seemed to be bleeding but had been badly bandaged and he could only manage to open one eye due to the nasty cut across the other.  
‘Where is everybody? And what happened to you?’  
‘Sesshomaru turned up at the campsite after this battle against some great ugly demon – the usual kind. He wiped the floor with us, because-’ he cut off, the rest of his words drowned out as he coughed, blood dripping from in between his fingers as he held them to his mouth. Speaking every word seemed to cause him pain; he couldn’t have had any rest for days. ‘Then I tried to come to get you from the well but something looked suspicious about the clearing so I didn’t chance it.’ He closed both eyes. ‘I didn’t want to be seen by... _whatever_ was watching... _it_ seeing me waiting for you there could invite trouble on you and that well in the future. I didn't think Sesshomaru was after you in particular anyway,’ he added the last part, noticing the half-sad, half-angry look on her porcelain like face. ‘Sango and Kilala ran one way and Miroku and Shippo the other; I don’t know if they’re dead or…’  
  
Kagome brushed her long black hair out of her face and looked at him. ‘We’d best not move yet, if something follows us I won’t be able to…protect you.’ He seemed to be asleep when he stopped talking, lying there motionless with his eyes closed. Kagome moved toward him and slowly made to pull off the bandages. Inuyasha’s hand grabbed her wrist. ‘Don’t.’  
‘But it’s bleeding, if you want to get better let me help,’ she ordered, pushing his hand aside.  
‘No, leave it; I’ll be ok in a few minutes.’  
‘Don’t be such a baby, I won’t hurt you,’ he seemed to give in as he lay his hand down at his side. Kagome thought that if he had any energy left in him he would not have given in so easily. She gently pulled off the old, bloodstained bandages; she ripped off some cloth from what she always kept in her first aid kit in her backpack. After his arm was wrapped up, she took some more and gently stroked off the blood on his eye and face; Kagome thought she saw him wince slightly, although he made no sound, clearly pretending to be asleep.  
  
After the blood was gone from his face, Kagome could see a thick cut around his eye. Inuyasha seemed to be asleep now; his dog-ears which poked out of his white hair at the top of his head had stopped twitching as they had done whilst she bandaged his arm. She stroked along side the cut with her right hand, he did not move. She did not know what had come over her, but he looked very peaceful and she leant over him and kissed him on his cheek. His left arm twitched, (probably in sleep) his hand moved slightly and held hers loosely at his side. She stayed there for what seemed like a long time, contently holding his hand and just watching his chest rise and fall, accompanied by light breathing.  
  
Only a few months had passed since the group's encounter with the fear demon Kazuya. Sesshomaru hadn't appeared to them after that, _Inuyasha_ had made some comment about it being his pride hurt on being thwarted again in his attempts at getting Inuyasha killed. _But now to show up all of a sudden to attack us out of the blue like that? Even **Sesshomaru** has a reason for the things he does...Something is wrong..._ Kagome raised her head to look at the slowly setting sun through the treetops. _I don't know what it is but, I can feel it...something is coming, and with_ **our** luck I can bet it's nothing good, either...  
  
Inuyasha woke long after he had fallen asleep. As he opened his eyes, he saw Kagome sitting at his side, leaning on him slightly, and he could see the last of the suns rays peeping through the leaves of the bushes that they had used as shelter. He sat up, feeling fully regenerated and energetic. Kagome almost immediately let go of his hand and knelt up on her knees, a slight rosy tint to her cheeks as she fought to hide a blush..  
‘We’d best get moving. We’ve stayed here too long already,’ he said climbing out of the ditch; he grabbed Kagome’s hand and helped her up.  
‘How will we find the others Inuyasha?’  
‘We’ll just have to go back to the Well, and hope they go – Stop!’ he grabbed her wrist and yanked her to the ground.  
‘Hey watch it!’ she whispered.  
‘Quiet! I can hear someone.’ They listened:  
‘It’s no go, we’ll have to go looking for them,’ it was a woman’s voice, a familiar voice. Kagome stood up, Inuyasha hissing at her to stay down.  
‘Inuyasha, it’s just Sango,’ Kagome took Inuyasha’s hand, pulling him up sharply and lead him over to the others.  
‘Kagome, you’re ok; we came here in case you came and you couldn’t find us. And then you didn’t come,’ Sango ran up to Kagome and hugged her and Kilala pawed at her leg waiting to greet her.  
  
Miroku had started a fire up, not willing to ask his half-demon companion to help in _their_ turn at setting up camp, his mood seeming to be foul enough as it was, for some strange reason. "Why can't we just go back to Kaede's?" asked Kagome quietly to the demon slayer, so that Inuyasha couldn't hear.  
"And lead whatever's on our tale right to the village?" Sango whispered, and Kagome shook her head. She hadn't thought of that, then again, she hadn't been born and raised in a time when you had to be alert practically all the time to ensure you'd live to see the next morning. Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha...even _Shippo_ , they were used to it. Sometimes, Kagome truly wondered how she'd _ever_ managed to survive her first day in feudal Japan, if she hadn't met Inuyasha...  
  
‘What do you think Sesshomaru wanted,’ Miroku asked the half-demon, once they had gathered by the fire, the coldness of the night drawing in as the sun set beyond the trees.  
‘No idea, pretty much what he always wants; to be a complete pain in the-’  
‘-Why though? He just attacked with no purpose,’ piped up Shippo, with the look of a small child, he had brown hair in a stumpy ponytail and a small bushy tail.  
‘Listen, let’s not waste anymore energy thinking about nothing but a waste of good air, we’ll figure this out tomorrow,’ finished Sango. Miroku watched her with a silly grin on his face, thinking that maybe she was about to say something much more rude and unladylike than what she said.  
  
Shippo set upon _attempting_ bandaging Sango and Miroku up as they were a little worse for wear. Kilala, in her small, adorable cat-demon form curled up next to Sango fast asleep, her two tails swishing unconciously. Inuyasha sat away from the others; Kagome took a bowl of some food over to him, not really knowing what it was. Since Miroku had made it, it was completely unrecognisable.  
‘Here, you should eat something.’ Inuyasha looked at it, then at her.  
‘I’m not hungry.’ Apart from the fact that Inuyasha _not_ being hungry would be grounds for a national holiday, Kagome smiled softly, seeing past the words. There was something wrong.  
‘You’ve had a long day.’  
‘No, I don’t want anything right now,’ he said stubbornly, turning away and folding his arms over his chest. She could tell he was tapping his claws nervously on his arms inside the large sleeves of his kimono.  
‘Please,’ she held out the food, hesitantly he took it from her, his eyes flickering from her to the food for a moment, before diving in to eat it ravenously.  
  
‘I was thinking, maybe I should take you back, it’s too dangerous for you right now,’ he said when he had finished, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, like a cat might do when they had finished eating, not looking her in the eye.  
‘What?! I can’t leave now, besides, when is it not dangerous here,’ she argued.  
‘I know, and I know you will never go back when we’re in danger, but right now you being here is putting me in danger,’ he looked up at her now.  
‘What?’ She seemed hurt by what he had said.  
‘If I have to protect you, I can’t fight; and if I don’t protect you, you get hurt.’  
‘As if this conversation isn’t hurting me?’ she said on the verge of tears.  
‘It’s different hurt...I’d rather have you upset than injured.’ She blinked away the tears and shot up.  
‘I’m not leaving Inuyasha,’ she looked quite determined, but Inuyasha wasn’t about to be won over. He snatched her wrists roughly and dragged her toward the well, the others leaping to their feet and following behind.  
  
‘Inuyasha! Let go, you’re hurting me!’ shouted Kagome, struggling to release herself from his grip. He stopped and let her go.  
‘You’re not staying here, you understand?!’ He yelled at her.  
‘Well I’m not leaving here!’  
‘Oh no?’ Inuyasha tried to push her down the well, but she grabbed onto the sides.  
‘Inuyasha, stop it!’ Yelled Shippo and Sango together, who went to help her but Miroku stopped them both and shook his head, seeming to think it wasn’t their business, (though probably thinking that they shouldn’t get in the way of Inuyasha’s wrath when he was this angry). Inuyasha let go and stood up straight, watching her with narrowed, golden eyes, letting out a low, growl; Kagome jumped onto the ground off the side of the well.  
‘I’m not always gonna be here to protect you, this isn’t your world, and you’re not gonna die here!’  
‘This isn’t my world it’s yours, but this is where I want to be and I’m not leaving! Wasn't it you that told me you needed me? For _eternity_ , right?!’  
‘Inuyasha look out!’ yelled Sango. Inuyasha turned his head only to see Sesshomaru standing there, he raised his hand which gripped a long sword, Inuyasha's sword! A brilliant light shot from the Tetsusaiga, heading straight for Inuyasha.  
‘Kagome!’ Inuyasha grabbed her and flew out of the way, landing not far off with a hard thud on the ground.  
  
Inuyasha sat up, ‘Kagome, are you ok?’  
‘I’m fine, I’m sorry I argued with you,’ she replied, sitting up and rubbing her head.  
‘Do you really think now is the time to apologize?’  
‘I was just-’  
‘-Kagome, move!’ Miroku shouted. Sesshomaru persisted in his assault. Inuyasha rolled over with Kagome, out of the way only just in time. They crashed into a tree not far from their camp, but the rock where they were only a moment ago was dust. He didn't know how Sesshomaru was holding Tetsusaiga, he didn't care. All he knew was he had to get it away from him. He couldn't _stand_ it! Sesshomaru with his filthy hands all over his father's gift for him. That sword, his father's fang, along with his fire-rat kimono was the only thing his father had ever given him, the only things he had to know him by. No _way_ in hell was Sesshomaru holding _any_ longer!  
  
Inuyasha looked around, Sesshomaru was devastating everything around them; Shippo laid unconscious close by and Kilala had awakened. A raging fire built up around her and swallowed her up, and when the fire burnt out the cute cat was nowhere to be seen, and the now sabre-toothed, bigger and less with the cute and more with the unapproachable form was before them, though even in this form she could get nowhere near Sesshomaru. Just as Sango and Miroku could get nowhere near him through the constant attacks from Inuyasha’s sword; Sesshomaru’s face was sickening and full of amusement at the sight of these pests thinking they could overpower him.  
‘Figures the selfish bastard would _still_ want my sword as well as the two he’s already got,’ he growled in his very _Inuyasha-like_ way that he usually did, as he helped Kagome to her feet, ‘Stay here,’ he said to her, she nodded and he ran toward Sesshomaru.  
  
Within seconds he was upon him, trying to wrestle the sword away from Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru’s hair (which was much like Inuyasha’s, though even Inuyasha admitted, slightly more tame) danced about him as he fought with his brother. _What the hell is up with him?_ Inuyasha thought, _all he ever wanted was Tetsusaiga, why doesn’t he take it and run? Something isn’t right._ Suddenly, the sword flew out of their reach and onto the ground near where Miroku stood. Something was wrong, Sesshomaru seemed stronger, faster, even the way he stood there was slightly intimidating, and Inuyasha was never one to admit that his brother had anything on him. He smashed Inuyasha in the nose and he skidded across the floor. Inuyasha could not get away, could not land a punch in. ‘Well haven’t you been working hard, Brother?’ spat Inuyasha sarcastically, wiping the blood which dripped from his nose off of him. Sesshomaru kicked Inuyasha away from him. The half-demon struggled to his feet (with great difficulty) and looked into his brother’s face, there was no fear there, he knew he was going to win, and that he, Inuyasha would die.  
‘About time we end this wouldn’t you say? I know how you hate these _tender_ family reunions,’ came the cold, complacent voice of Sesshomaru. Inuyasha fell to his knees exhausted and closed his eyes, readying himself for the blow, but it didn’t come. Sesshomaru raised Inuyasha’s sword.  
‘NO!’ screamed Kagome, she raised her bow and an arrow flew from it like gossamer and towards Sesshomaru.  
‘How, _nice_ … this seems familiar,’ he reflected the arrow with a wave of the sword. A crackled, sizzling noise sounded, the arrow's fuschia light burning into a foreboding black as it came in contact with the Tetsusaiga. Inuyasha's eyes widened; it had never done that before!  
‘Kagome, RUN!’ yelled Inuyasha as he heard Sesshomaru’s cold voice. She turned away but wasn’t fast enough, as she turned the arrow struck her left shoulder and she fell to the floor.  
  
‘NO!’ Inuyasha raging with hatred and anger, leapt up, ripped the sword from Sesshomaru’s grip, plunged it into his brother’s arm and pushed up. 'How's that for déjà vu?' spat Inuyasha. Sesshomaru screamed with pain as his _new_ arm was cut off and he collapsed to his knees beside where his detached limb had fallen. A quiet rustling and that same familiar dark-haired child sped out of the concealment of the trees, running over to Sesshomaru. Inuyasha paid her no attention, but ran over to where Kagome lay. Sango towered above the little girl, ‘Rin, take him and go,’ said Sango as she left to go to Kagome’s side. The little girl nodded to the familiar demon slayer, looking down to her beloved demon companion. Sesshomaru's mouth curved into a sneering smile as he looked on at the collapsed form of Kagome, and made a satisfied noise.  
'Come Rin, my work is done here,' he muttered, turning away from the battlescene.  
  
‘Kagome, Kagome!’ Inuyasha shouted, ‘wake up!’ He held his ear to her heart. ‘She’s alive, but we need to get this arrow out.’  
‘I’ll get some water boiling, Shippo, get some stuff from Kagome’s First Aid Kit,’ ordered Sango; Miroku and Kilala sat beside Inuyasha, who was cradling Kagome’s head in his arms and was looking about, lost and bewildered, something that had happened more times than he'd care to count in his long lifetime.  
  
‘Right,’ said Sango, ‘this is going to hurt her a lot, Inuyasha hold her down and don’t let go, the arrow tip is too close to her vitals for comfort...if she moves…it’s gonna to kill her…’ Kagome laid on her front with her head resting sideways. Inuyasha pinned down her arms, Shippo stood by with the medical bag and Miroku stood by the fire, waiting for some disgusting, ochre, thick liquid to boil. Sango ripped the back of Kagome’s shirt where the arrow was. Wincing at the look of the wound. Swallowing hard, the demon slayer grabbed the arrow, and closed her eyes tight, ‘sorry, Kagome,’ she whispered, and she yanked the arrow out with a sharp, straight tug. Kagome screamed in agony, struggling to move. Inuyasha pinned her arms to the floor with difficulty, turning his face away as Sango took out a small bottle from the First Aid Kit, (although the stuff inside was Feudal era made it rested in Kagome’s backpack), she poured some thick liquid out of it on a bandage and onto the wound.  
  
Kagome’s screams carried through the forest and echoed round them. Sango bandaged the wound in great difficulty, as Kagome struggled in pain to be free from Inuyasha’s grip. Sango wrapped Kagome in a blanket, that wasn’t stained with blood, ‘Inuyasha, sit her up, she needs to drink this liquid I made.’ Inuyasha sat Kagome up, ‘Inuyasha, hold her head back. This isn't the nicest tasting thing in the world so she'll try to spit it out,’ Inuyasha held her head back and Sango poured some of the liquid which had been boiling down her throat. Kagome choked as the hot liquid trickled down her throat, trying to force it back up it was so disgusting; Shippo thought she would vomit any minute. ‘Swallow it Kagome,’ said Inuyasha, he felt Kagome’s body jerk as she tried not to heave it all back up. ‘Please swallow it,’ he repeated, she swallowed it quickly trying not to be sick. Sango put down the bowl and sat back. Kagome leaned back against Inuyasha’s shoulder, her eyes closed in relief, and passed into unconciousness.  
‘We should let her rest now, which means no physical contact Miroku!’ whispered Sango.  
‘What? Does it look like I’m in the naughty mood?’ asked Miroku.  
‘Yes,’ they all said in unison. Inuyasha lay Kagome down and pulled a blanket over her, sitting beside her while the others went back to the campfire.  
  
  
TBC


	2. Spectre of the Shadow

  
**Spectre of the Shadow**  
-Two-  
  
  
Kagome awoke feeling aches and pains all down her back. She opened her eyes and saw Inuyasha next to her, staring back at her.  
‘How long have I been out for?’ It hurt her throat to speak where she had forced down the hot liquid earlier.  
‘Nearly two days,’ he replied, smiling kindly at her. He seemed to be acting more warmly towards her than usual.  
‘And you’ve just been watching me this whole time?’ He nodded lightly in reply, a blush riding on his cheeks. ‘What happened? All I remember is shooting an arrow and then it’s all a-’  
‘-You tried to save me,’ he said interrupting her, his voice laden with guilt, ‘and when you did, Sesshomaru reflected it back at you. Sango and Miroku have gone to see what they can find for dinner, and Shippo has gone with Kilala for some more medicinal herbs since we used pretty much everything in your bag.’  
  
He opened Kagome’s first aid kit, tore off some of the bandage strips and poured some strange, citrine liquid over them.  
‘How bad is it?’  
‘I don’t know, I was supposed to check on it now, but you looked so…like you didn’t want to be disturbed.’ There was a long silence, during which the excess liquid on the bandage dripped back into the bowl it had come from. ‘Turn over,’ said Inuyasha suddenly.  
‘What?’  
‘Don’t look at me like that!’ he exclaimed, blushing furiously, ‘Miroku’s the _pervert_ not me; I need to check it is all, it's not like I - Just turn over.’  
  
Kagome tried to turn over but she seemed to have lost all control over her limbs and couldn’t manage it; Inuyasha pulled his arm round her, turned her over onto her front and gently pulled off the current bandages.  
‘It’s better; but it still looks pretty nasty,’ he took the sodden bandage and placed it on the wound. Kagome whimpered in pain as Inuyasha tied the wet bandage on with more bandages wrapped round her. ‘It’s ok, the liquid helps it heal faster, the wound is really deep and if it’s open too long…well I don’t like to think what’ll happen,’ he said sort of reassuringly and he went back to the fireside. He came back over to her shortly.  
‘Sango made this for you to drink; it’ll help you to feel better. Well, sit up and drink it!’ He ordered holding up a flask.  
‘Ok – aaaaaah!’ Kagome collapsed back down in agony. ‘I can’t move!’  
‘It’s ok…’ He spoke softly, seeming to sense her anxiety, wrapping his arm carefully round her and sat her up, leaning into his shoulder. She flinched in pain but he stroked her ebony hair softly for a while, trying to calm her down.  
‘Kagome, you need to drink this, I think Sesshomaru did something to those arrows; maybe some of his poison was in it... Either way, you won’t heal properly if you don’t drink it.’  
‘I can’t.’  
‘You can, I know it probably tastes like crap, because Sango made it,’ he said with a grin, ‘but you have to,’ he held the flask to her mouth and she slowly drank it.  
  
‘See,’ he said laying down the flask and holding her again.  
‘I feel cold,’ she whimpered.  
‘It’s the liquid, I know it doesn’t feel too good but it’s helping you in the long run.’ Inuyasha went to lay her back down but she clung to him.  
‘Don’t! Don’t leave me. It’s so cold, and I feel so…it all feels so dark, like I’m falling down somewhere… somewhere dark.’  
‘I’m here,’ he assured her, grabbing a blanket and wrapping it round her.  
‘It’s coming for me.’  
‘Kagome, I-’  
‘-No, you can’t stop it.’  
‘What, What is it?’ he panicked.  
‘It doesn’t say its name, it can’t speak...it’s just there, waiting…’ Her voice trembled as she shivered. Inuyasha pulled his arms tight round her, looking round for what Kagome was seeing.  
‘Don’t let me go, don’t let it take me!’  
‘I’m not going to let anything take you, idiot! But tell me what the hell is going on here?’ She couldn’t even speak anymore, she just buried her face in his arms and continued to point wildly about her; but Inuyasha saw nothing there. The half-demon didn’t know what to do. He held Kagome, stroking her face and hushing her quietly. Lying in Inuyasha’s arms, the dark, cold feeling was smothered in warmth; and soon the shadowy spectre faded away from her sight as Inuyasha soothed her through stroking her face softly. She closed her eyes and hearing his soft voice and feeling his touch made her feel safe; she eventually fell asleep. Inuyasha gently lay her down with the blanket wrapped round her. Inuyasha didn’t know what it was that made her act that way or what had made her see whatever it was that she had seen. He just sat looking at her in silence, the look of fear had slipped from her pretty face and her eyes were closed as she dreamed on. Sitting there for some time, he waited for the others to return.  


* * *

Many strange looking people sat gathered round a campfire. Sesshomaru sat as one in the circle of people, having his wounds tended to and a little girl (Rin) who had long black hair lay asleep near his feet. It wasn't that his full-demon skin wounded heal on its own, its just that it woul ease the little girl's mind if she saw something _else_ being done to it, and Sesshomaru wouldn't have her worried. A smiling face suited her best. A wrinkled old woman sat opposite him, glaring at him with eyes as complex with reds yellows and oranges as the fire; this was Y’leare, an old woman with magic powers as great as her age. A tall, sun-touched man with fair hair who wore elaborate armour sat in the circle, seemingly the leader of the other men who lay away from the circle around the perimeter of their campsite, in the dark, not important enough to him to lie in the light and warmth of the fire.  
  
‘And what was the point of that attack? Besides me being maimed and having this new arm cut off of course; you’re just lucky you can fix it,’ said Sesshomaru, dangerously calm, ‘otherwise the remaining one would be occupied with evening the score, with the fools who sent me out there…’  
‘I couldn’t get to the girl with my magic as she wasn’t of this world, you mortally wounded her and brought her close to death, I have power over all dead,’ replied Y’leare. ‘Now my magic will affect her when I need to use it.’  
‘But why didn’t we just take what we needed there and then? Why waste time in all this?’ asked Lieutenant Sceaduwe.  
‘I seriously doubt that the Half-demon would have let us, he needs to be out of the way and not in his right state of mind if we are to complete our plan successfully. Also we are too far away from our safe house and our protection spell, he would find us in an instant and kill us all,’ Y’leare explained in her raspy, toad-like voice.  
‘And what exactly to you intened to happen now?’ Sesshomaru asked, getting more annoyed as the minutes progressed, hating every minute of being told what to do; flinched lightly as the hag waved her decrepit hand over the stump where Sesshomaru’s new arm used to be, and it seemed to grow back, blood dripped to the ground as it shot from the stump, and he was glad Rin could not see him like this right now. It had taken all this time, nearly three years, three years since the day he'd fought Inuyasha at their father's grave, for his arm to grow back. Such a serious wound, for a demon like him should have been healed within half a year. He supposed it was because it was with his father's own fang that had severed his arm, that it's regrowth was delayed. But it having taken so long to grow back was just what irritated him all the more, that Inuyasha had cut it off again, and this... _witch_ was the reason for it.  
‘They must reach Glisnia, there Inuyasha will be searching for answers, he will not be bothered about what we must steal right from under his nose; for now we must just follow in the shadows until they do. I sent the girl an illusion of a spectre; when she is well enough to talk sense they will realize that it was an image of the old soldiers of Spearaah, they will know to go to Glisnia from there.’  
  
As the old woman finished, she sat contently with her grey, wispy hair hanging down her back from underneath a black hat, which matched her ebony robes. A great silence fell over the group. It was Sesshomaru as you may have guessed who broke the silence after a while.  
‘What do you all expect to gain from my dear brother’s demise?’ He asked, ‘To be sure, we do all have our reasons for being here, I'd consider quite offensive if you kept yours a secret.’  
‘He is your own blood, what is yours first?’ asked Lieutenant Sceaduwe, his bold voice shaking slightly, his confidence quavering in Sesshomaru's company.  
  
‘I have nothing to hide. I straightforwardly harbour a deep dislike for my brother; he has become far too…human for my liking, not that I was fond of him before but nevertheless...And denting that anathema that dares to share even half my blood, well...the desire to crush him, it doesn't need much more reason, other than he continues to exist. Besides which, It’s quite normal for a man to hate his brother, granted this isn’t your usual sibling rivalry but my family always were a little...out of the ordinary,’ he replied simply.  
 _'To say the least,'_ muttered Sceaduwe. Sesshomaru said nothing, simply turnng to him, waiting for his reply.  
‘I am the leader of The Order of Deorcnes; our homes in Spearaah were once wiped out by the youkai centuries ago. But my intentions are not powered by revenge, seeking those who carry the blood of the demon who wiped out our ancestors, the Lordof the Western Lands - Inu-no-Taishou,' he shot a look to Sesshomaru, receiving a foreboding grimace of the demon, 'I joined Y’leare in this task intending to amplify my power, by bleeding the demon's descendants dry.’ Sesshomaru's smirk widened at the quiver in Sceaduwe's voice.  
‘Shiver and shake as you do, Sceaduwe; my guess is, you are fully aware that Lord Inu-no-Taishou was my father...thus making me his descendant and as his oldest son, successor to his once great empire,’ said Sesshomaru quietly, 'does that not put a slight flaw in you plan? After all, that would mean I am one of those you wish to kill...'  
‘Yes,’ he replied darkly, ‘but Y’leare tells it that you are valuable, for some unseen reason,' he sneered, but Sesshomaru remained unphased, and it unnerved the human warrior, 'so I’ll have to settle for the other of your father’s sons instead.’ Rin, who was lying on the ground facing away from them (only pretending to be asleep), thought she sensed a slight disappointment in his voice, and began to be afraid for her Lord. However, she needn’t have worried, Sesshomaru not only knew this but also knew that Sceaduwe was lying to him in some way, but then it’s not as if _any_ of them trusted each other.  
  
The two men faced Y’leare, awaiting her purpose. ‘My psyche has been disturbed as of late. Something in our world has been altered and in order to get my full power back so I may continue my work in my home, the world must regain its balance. Unfortunately for you, I am not going to reveal what the alteration that has tipped the balance is. It is hardly neccessary... All I will disclose to you, is that I am unable rid the world of something, I can only alter or substitute that which already exists, and I must replace that which is altered as best I can to get my power back.’  
‘Such a fool, it is evident what is the alteration,’ muttered Sesshomaru, his golden eyes glowing in the firelight, ‘you are nothing more than another hag whose powers are fatigued by your greed for more power. Witch, you are a fool to suggest that I could not see that you're after the Shikon no Tama.’ Y’leare watched him carefully, not taking those fiery eyes off him for a long time.  
  
They all sat in the fire’s glow, thinking of each other’s purposes, knowing they could not trust anyone who sat with them, but knowing they each had to work together to get what they wanted. None of the three around the fire, that is to say Sceaduwe, Sesshomaru and Y’leare slept that night, knowing better than to trust their accomplices wouldn’t turn on them.  


* * *

Kagome lay still asleep under the blankets, but Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kilala had returned; and Inuyasha was explaining what had happened in their absence.  
‘I’ve never seen her like it, she was seeing something, I couldn’t see it but it must have been really bad for her to act that afraid, it took her a long time to settle. Whatever it was it was telling her that it was going to take her, and that I wouldn’t be able to stop it.’ The others listened quietly until he had finished.  
‘We’ll have to wait and ask her what it was before we decide what to do,’ said Sango, with Kilala (now back to her normal size) curled up asleep on her lap.  
‘But what if it comes back, after one of us this time?’ asked Shippo, quivering.  
‘I don’t think it will, bother us I mean, for some reason I think whatever it is only wanted, maybe to make her… I don’t know,’ said Inuyasha. ‘I just think that this isn't the first time a demon has tried to get to me through her.’  
‘Hardly,' agreed Miroku quietly, 'it seems a widely known fact that the best way to make you suffer is to make her suffer.' Inuyasha blushed.  
'What are you saying? That I've got some chink in my armour when it comes to Kagome?' he shot at the monk, his rowdy attitude returning.  
'No, no, no of course not,' said Miroku waving his hand at him with a smile, 'merely suggesting that you've got a soft touch when it comes to Kagome.' Inuyasha growled quietly in annoyance, 'After all, you're a hardhearted warrior, but you're just a delicate little softy when it comes to the ladies.'  
'Why you upstart little-'  
'-In any case,' interupted Sango as Inuyasha's vocie started to rise, along with his temper. 'She was terrified of something you couldn't see, or sense even?' Inuyasha nodded. ‘Maybe she was just hallucinating from the trauma of the attack, or maybe she was still half asleep,’ Sango suggested. Inuyasha shook his head.  
  
‘I don’t think so, she was wide awake when it happened, and she was, well fine before it – whatever it was, showed up.’  
‘Well the only way to know where to go from here is to ask Kagome,’ stated Miroku.  
‘Ask me what?’ Came the sound of Kagome’s voice from where she lay; they all stumbled over to her.  
‘Kagome, listen I know you’re really tired and probably don’t feel too good either, but you have to tell us what you saw,’ demanded Miroku.  
‘Well that was sensitive,’ said Sango, narrowing her eyes slightly as she looked at him.  
‘It was…it made me feel cold all over, all the light faded away, it was this tall, haunting spirit with hands – they were almost like insects, draped in this long black cloak, and it’s eyes…they were full of…’ she seemed unable to say any more.  
‘The Order of Deorcnes,’ murmured Miroku quickly.  
‘Bless you,’ muttered Shippo with a grin, teasing at the way the words just scrambled out of the monk’s mouth.  
‘She saw a spectre of a Deorcnes warrior, that’s what they look like when they are buried. They are the warriors of The Order of Deorcnes, from the valley of Spearaah.’  
‘Spearaah,’ repeated Inuyasha, ‘the land of shadow, but then that means…’  
'Yes, I know,' replied Miroku. Sango, Kagome and Shippo shared a look, knowing they'd missed something.  
'Hello? Wanna let us in on the amazing secret?' Sango asked irately.  
‘We have to go through Spearaah, to the city of light, Glisnia, we need their help to find out what we’re dealing with,’ stated Miroku to the three, just confusing them more ‘Since the dawn of good vs. evil, they have been exact enemies, opposites. One thriving on light-’  
‘-The other on darkness,’ finished Inuyasha; Sango, Kagome, Shippo and Kilala’s eyes batting back and forth, following the conversation.  
‘If anyone can help us they can,’ Miroku concluded.  
  
‘Well if you two _ladies_ are quite done finishing each other’s sentences,’ said Sango impatiently, making the two flush, ‘God you’re like a married couple, careful Inuyasha, he might grope you next!’ Inuyasha shifted away from Miroku slightly, not looking at him.  
‘Better damn not…’ he mumbled.  
‘We need to go immediately,’ said Miroku, ignoring Inuyasha shifting as far away from him as possible.  
‘But Kagome can’t walk even!’ exclaimed Shippo.  
‘Well we can’t stay here; I’ll have to carry her,’ replied Inuyasha, ‘you guys help me gather up the things, Kagome, get ready, we have to leave as soon as possible.’  
  
They packed up everything quickly; Sango and Miroku heaved the heavy bags onto their backs as Inuyasha went over to where Kagome lay nearby with Shippo and Kilala at her side. ‘Ready to go,’ he said to her, hoisting her up onto his back. Shippo perched atop Inuyasha’s head and Kilala ran along side Sango merrily. ‘Right, lets go,’ said Inuyasha to the others; and they began the slow march onward. A pain shot up Kagome’s back with every stride Inuyasha took; though she felt she couldn’t say anything as everyone was weighted down by a burden except her. She winced with every step he took. It seemed like they had been going for hours, the sun had risen high in the sky as Midday drew nearer and a light breeze flew past them. Inuyasha looked up into Kagome’s face, her eyes closed tight and her face drenched in tears of pain.  
‘Hey, we should stop for a break,’ he called to the others who had been drawing behind in the last hour; even Kilala had decided she had enough, they all agreed to stop with no arguments.  
‘About time too, I’m beginning to get blisters on my blisters!’ complained Miroku under his breath, although Sango wasn’t listening to a word he had just said.  
  
Inuyasha leaned Kagome against a tree carefully, ‘Why didn’t you tell me I was hurting you?’ He asked her. She turned her face away from him guiltily, knowing it was because of her that they’d stopped.  
‘I didn’t want to be a nuisance,’ she muttered dimly in reply.  
‘Why do you always have to be so stupid?’ he asked angrily, ‘can you move at all?’  
‘No, not really, I get this burning feeling in my shoulder, and this pain shoots down my back when I move.’ He leaned her forward roughly and lifted the bandages up, her back was redraw and her wound which was somewhere in between her heart and her spine, had bled down her back, Inuyasha pulled his hand away and the blood dripped off of it. Shippo, who had been sitting next to Kagome, widened his eyes in horror.  
‘Reckless idiot!’ muttered Inuyasha to Kagome as he wiped her blood off his hands with his kimono. ‘Sango, fetch those clothes from that bag,’ he ordered her, Sango, not in the mood to argue about his rudeness, delved into the bag she had just laid down and drew out a white shirt and red dress (Kagome’s feudal era clothes that Kaede had given her). Kagome knew Inuyasha was angry with her for not saying anything.  
‘Inuyasha, you were right, I should have gone home,’ she said, Inuyasha looked across to her as he pulled out some new bandages from Kagome’s first aid kit.  
‘Stop saying stupid things like that,’ he snapped at her, ‘I need you to be here.’  
‘What for? All I do is cause trouble.’  
‘Stop asking stupid questions like that, I swear all you ever talk about is how useless you are,’ Kagome looked away from him, rather upset. ‘You’re not useless, you help more than you realize,’ he muttered kindly as he saw that he’d hurt her feelings. Inuyasha cleaned up Kagome’s wound and replaced the old blood stained bandages with new ones. ‘Help her get changed, we’ll be looking for a stream or something to fill up the water skins,’ said Inuyasha, dragging Miroku and Shippo off into the forest.  
  
Sango helped Kagome off with her blood drenched shirt, ‘Kagome, you are too considerate, you should think about yourself more often, he’s going to be ranting about all day now,’ said Sango kindly, always thinking of Kagome in a sort of sisterly way.  
‘I just felt like all I was doing was being a burden, Inuyasha was right; I should have gone home,’ her face dropped into a miserable expression.  
‘Of course you shouldn’t, we all want you here stupid!’  
‘Inuyasha doesn’t, he knows I’m a nuisance,’ Kagome went on.  
‘He’s Inuyasha, rude, inconsiderate and loud; if he thinks it he says it. Sometimes I begin to doubt if that mouth of his is even connected to his brain - if he thought you were a nuisance he would have said so by now,’ Sango reassured her, all the while helping her into her fresh clothes.  
‘Mom’s going to kill me for ruining my school shirt.’  
‘I’m sure I could get the blood out for you,’ Sango offered.  
‘No, it’s been ripped down the back where you pulled the arrow out,’ she felt so depressed and useless; she wished she had gone home when Inuyasha had told her.  
‘Well, there you go you’re out of those old clothes, how about something to eat then?’ Sango handed her a rice ball out of the pack Miroku had been carrying; Sango brushed her long hair (which was as pitch as Kagome’s though a lot straighter) out of her face as she ate hers and threw one to Kilala who lay on Kagome’s lap. Kagome ate hers reluctantly, feeling starving hungry, but also as though she were going to vomit after every bite.  


* * *

Inuyasha, Miroku and Shippo made their way through the dazzling forest, hearing the sound of water nearby, Inuyasha lead them to a sparkling stream, not crystal clear but the water was drinkable. They filled their skins silently and started back.  
‘How long will it take us to get to Glisnia Inuyasha?’ Shippo asked dawdling along side Miroku and Inuyasha, with two of the skins draped round his shoulders, miles too long for his tiny body.  
‘We have to pass through Spearaah to get there, we should have reached the edge of Spearaah by tomorrow evening, then onward, who knows how long it will take to get to it’s centre, to Glisnia,’ replied Inuyasha. Shippo and Miroku despaired in the thought of days travel in the realm of shadow, with a stronger Sesshomaru and who knew what else on their tail. They made their way back to the girls in silence, having nothing to say to each other through their tiredness. They passed the edge of the trees to where Sango and Kagome sat, the sun now setting lower in the sky as afternoon approached.  
  
After many moans and groans, they all agreed with Inuyasha that they had to go on until nightfall if they hoped to reach Glisnia before Sesshomaru found them. Miroku and Sango loaded the packs onto their backs once more and Inuyasha lifted Kagome up into his arms (thinking maybe this would be more comfortable for her), and they plodded on with Shippo carrying as much as they dared to let him at their side and Kilala not far behind.  
  
They did indeed go on for longer than they expected they could, in fact it was not until the sky had gone completely black and the only light came when the moon peeped out occasionally of the clouds did they stop for rest. Miroku gathered wood and Sango made the biggest fire they dared for fear of being discovered. They all gathered close together round the pathetically sized fire to keep warm, it was Inuyasha’s turn for first watch; and the others fell asleep almost immediately so that Inuyasha was the only one awake very quickly.  
  
Kagome awoke in the night, the sky was still dark but the moon was lower in the sky than it had been before she slept. Kagome turned and saw that Sango, Kilala, Shippo and Miroku were all sleeping soundly, but Inuyasha still sat there, gazing at the fire, which was almost out. It was only then that Kagome had realized the time.  
‘Why didn’t you wake me for my watch, it started an hour ago?’ She asked him quietly, she tried to move herself, and found that she could kind of slide over to where Inuyasha sat.  
‘I wasn’t tired, besides, you need the rest more than I do,’ he replied not really looking at her.  
‘Now who’s being too considerate, you need sleep too you know.’  
‘I don’t need you fussing over me, I know when I need sleep, and I can take care of myself!’  
‘I never said you couldn’t,’ she replied quietly, ‘but maybe someone who cares about you knows how to take care of you more.’  
‘You’re the one who needs to be looked after, go back to sleep,’ he said snappishly, but she stayed at his side, looking at him, though he wouldn’t not turn to face her for some reason.  
‘It’s pretty bad isn’t it, there’s something else, besides Sesshomaru that’s after us isn’t there?’ He didn’t answer her. ‘Inuyasha, tell me.’  
‘Yes, and the truth is whatever it is that’s helping him must be twice as strong as he is to create that illusion so effectively, or to be able to give Sesshomaru that much more power.’ They sat in silence for a while, lost in thought.  
‘We’re not going to be able to beat this on our own, are we?’ Inuyasha shook his head slowly in reply.  
'Sesshomaru alone is a handful, teamed up with one, possibly more stronger adversaries, our chances don't look all that good.'  
‘What if they find us before we reach Glisnia?’ She asked, half not wanting to know the answer. Inuyasha took a while to reply.  
‘We’ll have to run away,’ he replied with emptiness, knowing that his answer was so hard for him to say and how much it shamed him to give it to her; Kagome leaned up against him and put her hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him a little.  
‘Is there anyway I can help you forget about that answer?’ Kagome asked him.  
‘I wish there was,’ he replied dimly, ‘the truth is that the new moon will be coming soon and we’ll be in Spearaah then.’  
‘Are you afraid that we’ll be attacked when you’re human?’ asked Kagome.  
‘I’m afraid because I know that we’ll be attacked, not just when I’m human; Spearaah is a place of shadow, we will be in more danger then than we’ve ever been and I…I know now that Sesshomaru knows that I change at the new moon.’ Kagome didn’t know how to reply to this so she just sat quietly beside him. They sat together for some time, each not uttering a sound; but finally sleep won her over and Kagome fell asleep, leaning against Inuyasha quite comfortably. It was only then that he turned round and looked into her face, he didn’t wake her for her watch, nor did he wake anybody else for theirs, he sat with there all night, with Kagome at his side sleeping soundly.  
  
  
TBC


	3. Finclarus

**Finclarus**  
-Three-  
  
The next morning the sun needn’t have risen at all for all the good it did. A hazy mist surrounded Inuyasha and his companions. For both quickness and secrecy, they did not start a fire to cook their breakfast, they decided to eat it cold and then move out. It was a freezing cold day and even though this breakfast they had all agreed was safest, it was not their preferred. They started out the same as they had done yesterday, shivering as they walked and their teeth chattered, as they talked, but this was not the worst part of their ordeal. They all silently realized that every moment brought them closer to the shadowy lands, which lay ahead of them; as the mist cleared slightly, a dark shadow could be seen not far off; it was the beginning of Spearaah that loomed in the distance. They did not stop for lunch that day; they were quite determined to reach Spearaah before nightfall.  
  
As the sun set that evening, they stopped by a river. ‘Finclarus,’ said Miroku calmly, ‘the last clear river before the eternally dark lands, we’d best enjoy this sunset because we won’t see another for a long time.’ The river ran calm and few ripples appeared in its surface. It caught the last of the sun’s rays and played with them to reflect bright rainbow prisms of light from its surface; the silvery fish that swam in its water’s were fully visible the water was so clear.  
‘As soon as we cross this river, we’ll be entering Spearaah, we might wanna fill up the skins here, I don’t trust any water beyond this river,’ informed Inuyasha.  
‘There’s no bridge,’ said Shippo, shivering from the cold as he stood beside Kilala and Sango.  
‘How deep do you think it is?’ asked Sango.  
‘Only one way to find out,’ replied Inuyasha, laying Kagome down next to Kilala. He took off his kimono and walked slowly into the water. ‘It’s bloody freezing!’ He yelled to them. He paused for a second, and then continued. Before he had got to the middle, the water was past his elbows, as he reached the middle, only his head was visible above the freezing stream. He rushed back to the others. ‘The stuff is gonna be soaked but we can’t help that. Shippo and Kilala are too small to go across on their own; we’ll have to carry them.’  
  
‘Do you think Kagome should go through that freezing water when she’s like this? Why can’t you jump across?’ asked Miroku.  
'Yeah, sure, let's see you hop on water,' snapped Inuyasha, 'idiot...' The hanyou crouched down, shaking himself off like a dog, before straightening up to face them, not taking note of the water he'd splashed over them. ‘Besides which,’ Inuyasha replied, 'I felt really heavy in the water.' Miroku smirked.  
'It's all that food you eat, I told you you'd put on weight if you ate too much-'  
'-It ain't me stupid! It's like an intense energy, pulling me downward, so...I doubt Kilala will be able to fly us across either.'  
‘It’s to do with the evil energy I suppose,’ said Sango, ‘it’s smothering all good energy around us, that’s why nothing grows beyond this river. Alot like the power in Mount Hakurei. You won’t be able to jump anywhere near as high as you should, and Kilala won't be able to fly either. Chances are, if it's as _strong_ as Mount Hakurei, we won't be able to move as fast either.’ There seemed nothing for it; they had to cross the freezing river without cheating. Inuyasha put his kimono round Kagome as Kilala perched herself on Sango’s head. Inuyasha hoisted Kagome high onto his back and Shippo sat on Miroku’s shoulders. Miroku went in first, then Sango then Inuyasha; they all stayed close together fearing the worst. Miroku, Inuyasha and Sango trembled with the cold as the water reached their middle; Kagome’s legs froze as they hit the icy water and the water level rose with each step Inuyasha took. Miroku, who had a lighter pack and also had Shippo helping out by attempting to swim half the way, reached the bank first, by now they had separated a lot. As Sango neared the bank, Inuyasha was only halfway, but what they hadn’t noticed was that as the sun had set, the mists had returned, nothing below water level could be seen; the others could only just make out where Inuyasha and Kagome stood. However, Inuyasha and Kagome weren’t alone in the water. Something had appeared in the river as the mist had appeared in the air. Something writhed towards Inuyasha and Kagome.  
  
Suddenly, the creature caught Kagome’s legs and yanked her backwards off Inuyasha’s back and under the water.  
‘Kagome! Kagome!’ Inuyasha called, splashing about the water, spinning confusedly in all directions. He plunged his head under the water and saw nothing; he pulled his head back up.  
‘Where is she? Can you see her?’ called Sango.  
‘Something grabbed her, I can’t find her!’ Inuyasha replied, his voice rough from the cold and shuddering in fear. Inuyasha pushed his head under the water for the second time.  
‘Miroku, stay here with Shippo and Kilala, keep talking to us so we can find our way back through the mist,’ ordered Sango, and she jumped into the water and swam toward Inuyasha.  
  
As she dove under the water, she saw where Inuyasha was and they still could find no sign of Kagome, but they saw something else. A slender, silver, serpent twisted around in the water beside them. Inuyasha grabbed the hilt of his sword and drew it out before him. The blade reflected the silver glow, which radiated from the snake. Inuyasha slashed at the creature, but its scales were harder than stone, Inuyasha could not cut through them. He signalled to Sango to find Kagome who must have been somewhere close. Sango dove down into what seemed like a burrow the serpent must have made, she swam through its dark, slim tunnels only to see that the only way forward now was up. She reached the surface, gasping for breath; only to see Kagome, propped up against the wall of this cave Sango had found. ‘Kagome-chan, are you okay?’ She asked, trembling from the cold.  
‘I’m fine, I’m just freezing though,’ Kagome replied, pulling Inuyasha’s kimono tight around her.  
‘Quick, Inuyasha’s fighting the snake thing but I don’t know how much time we have to get back. Quick!’ Kagome grabbed Sango’s hand, only to be dragged back under the water with her as Sango dove back under the water.  
  
They reached the surface of the river to find Inuyasha still battling with the serpent.  
‘Get away you overgrown tadpole!’ Inuyasha yelled as he slashed as the snake’s gilded body viciously. Sango, following the sounds of Miroku’s calls, dragged Kagome to shore where Miroku and Shippo helped pull them out onto the dry bank. The snake, seeing his prey had been rescued made a crazed dash at Kagome through the water. Sango seized Kagome round the waist and yanked her up the bank. But the snake was too quick, it was upon them in seconds. Sango kicked at the creature but as he snapped again at their legs she pushed with each foot either side of the serpent’s mouth, jagged fangs jutting from it's jaw. Miroku and Shippo dragged both the girls up the bank but the snake followed, slithering up after them. Sango still kicked back at it with her feet, only succeeding in nearly having her feet bitten off. Then suddenly, the snake jerked backwards as Inuyasha grabbed the end of its scaly tail.  
‘Why don’t you come after me?’ He yelled at the snake, ‘let’s see if you get dizzy shall we you great scaly bastard?’ Inuyasha heaved it backwards away for the others, and swung the monster round by its tail. If she hadn’t nearly been eaten, Kagome might have laughed at it, the snake creature squealing like mad as it spun round and round. The serpent roared with anger as Inuyasha threw it to the ground not far way from the others. ‘Sleep tight bastard,’ said Inuyasha jumping at it, and stabbing at the beast’s great, yellow eye. The serpent writhed in pain, but Inuyasha pushed down hard on his sword and the creature moved no more.  
  
A bloodstained Inuyasha, made his way back toward the others limping slightly on his left leg. Kagome ran toward him, pulled both arms round him still shivering from the cold.  
‘Are you okay?’ She asked him, tears welling up in her eyes.  
‘Me? You’re the one who’s not supposed to be able to walk even,’ he replied.  
‘Hey yeah, I’m walking aren’t I?’ With this her legs seemed to realise they shouldn’t be standing, making them buckle under her and she fell, Inuyasha grabbed her and steadied her on her feet.  
‘Are you okay?’ He asked her quietly, as if not wanting the others to hear.  
‘I’m fine, just…very, very cold.’  
‘Come on guys, what’d you say we get away from here and start up a fire?’ Sango suggested, lifting her pack onto her back as she stood not far off with Shippo, Miroku and Kilala. Inuyasha and Kagome supported each other as they walked along and they all trudged away from the Finclarus River.  
  
They seemed to walk far before they could find anywhere to stop. The grass beneath their feet was dead and dry, the sky above them only lit by the gibbous moon, which seemed to shine less than normal. There were trees around them, but even those were scattered and lifeless with no leaves upon their branches; and Inuyasha (though he didn’t say) thought that the only things nested in those trees were spies of Sesshomaru or the _'something else'_ that was following them.  
  
Their spot was in a small clearing in the middle of a patch of trees, which were the closest together as they had seen since entering Spearaah. Miroku and Shippo pulled some dead twigs off of the trees and lit a fire, by which they could dry themselves. All of them sat close together for warmth, even Inuyasha not complaining about having Shippo and Kagome sitting so close to him, as the air seemed to be competing against the fire.  
‘We really shouldn’t have a fire when someone's following us,’ said Miroku quietly.  
‘I don’t care I need heat! I’m so cold my toes are going to fall off!’ Shippo snapped.  
‘Well I’d rather have my toes cold than chopped off by something that’s tracking us!’ Miroku replied.  
'Frost-bite, does the same damn thing!' yelled Shippo, all the while their argument getting louder.  
‘Shut up!’ Sango and Inuyasha hissed together. ‘We don’t know what’s following us or how far they are from us so can you just shut your faces before I do it for you!’ Inuyasha whispered threateningly.  
‘Bully,’ whispered Shippo under his breath so Inuyasha couldn’t hear.  
  
‘How long until we reach Glisnia?’ asked Kagome quietly, her first attempt at speech in a while.  
‘A few days from here, but I doubt the journey will be smooth, there’ll be plenty of things that’ll distract us,’ replied Inuyasha, watching the darkness around them closely, as though expecting to see hundreds of shining eyes glaring back at him.  
‘Can Kilala still not fly?’ Shippo asked.  
‘No, I think the theory Miroku had is still in action, Kilala won’t be able to fly until we’re away from Spearaah.’ Kilala mewled sadly from Sango’s lap at this comment, not liking having to walk everywhere.  
‘We’d best get some sleep now, it’s my watch first tonight, you guys sleep and I’ll wake Miroku for his watch later,’ said Sango. Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, Kilala and Miroku all huddled together and covered themselves over with the blankets, which they had managed to dry. The half-demon even seemed to be too tired to be embarrassed about Kagome's form curving up against his back. They fell asleep, one by one, until the only ones awake were Sango and Miroku. Miroku got up and sat near Sango.  
‘Keep your hands where I can seem ‘em,’ said Sango as he sat down.  
‘Relax I’m not going to try anything, does it look like I’m awake enough for that?’ asked Miroku innocently. Sango looked into his face:  
‘You’re never too tired to be yourself,’ she replied. Slightly disappointed Miroku fell into a complete silence. ‘How exactly are Glisnia’s people supposed to help us?’ asked Sango quietly, breaking the silence.  
  
‘For centuries the Glisniai have been fighting back the Spearaahn dark magic with their own white magic, the spectre Kagome saw tells us it is someone, or something from Spearaah that is helping Sesshomaru. The Glisniai are the only ones who can help us now,’ explained Miroku.  
‘I’ve been thinking about something for some time now and…I don’t know,’ said Sango.  
‘What? What is it?’ asked Miroku.  
‘That spectre, I think… Kagome told me she still sees it now.’  
‘What?’  
‘She told me that when she sleeps she can still see it, but it sort of seems that this spectre isn’t supposed to be seen by her. She says it’s like it is someone else’s reality that she seems to be dreaming about. I think, that maybe her subconscious has caught the spectre and she can read its thought’s in her dreams.’  
‘What makes you think that?’ asked Miroku.  
‘I think that the spectre was put inside her head. How else can Kagome have gone cold without Inuyasha going cold too?’ asked Sango.  
‘Youkai blood?’  
‘No, that thing was only meant to be seen by Kagome, how can whatever it was have hidden its scent from Inuyasha as well? If there was anything there physically, Inuyasha would have sensed it.’  
‘So what are you saying?’ asked Miroku.  
‘I’m saying that whatever is helping Sesshomaru can get inside our heads. Which means they know us and how they can hurt us,’ explained Sango, her voice now shaking.  
‘You’re not wrong,’ came Inuyasha’s voice as he walked over to them and sat down beside them. ‘But you’re not right either. I think that what we’re dealing with is a necromancer. They are the only ones in our world who have enough power to do the things they’re doing. Besides Naraku maybe, but…we all know he’s long dead…’ Miroku and Sango watched him carefully, waiting for him to continue. ‘However, if that is so, then they can’t get to us because our spirits are tied to this world, they belong here; Kagome’s doesn’t. She was mortally wounded by their partner Sesshomaru; she was brought near death which makes her spirit vulnerable to the necromancer.’  
‘But how?’ Asked Sango.  
‘Necromancer, _'power over spirits',_ they would not be able to reach Kagome’s spirit unless they had her blood on their hands,’ Inuyasha answered.  
‘But they didn’t,’ interrupted Sango, ‘Sesshomaru didn’t come near Kagome.’  
‘No? Where did you throw the arrow when you pulled it out of her?’ Inuyasha asked his voice now lowering.  
‘I just…threw it aside, are you saying they stole it to get her blood?’  
‘That’s exactly what I’m saying,’ said Inuyasha.  
‘Mentally deranged blood-perverts,’ grumbled Miroku, making Inuyasha and Sango roll their eyes, ‘no really, what kind of masochistic creeps would wait around to steal someone’s blood?’ The others ignored his comment.  
  
‘But then why can’t they play you just like they played her, you’re the most powerful surely you would be the obvious one who…’  
‘The necromancer obviously doesn't have nowhere near enough power to control a being with demon blood,’ Inuyasha interrupted Miroku, ‘besides; I think they know they can hurt me more through her...’  
‘I don’t know,’ said Miroku, bearing high trademark silly grin, ‘I’ve seen enough crazy Inuyasha to find it more disturbing than crazy Kagome.’ Inuyasha huffed, straightening his back indignantly.  
‘The last time Kagome went crazy she shot me, _again_.’ Miroku shrugged.  
‘What are we going to do?’ asked Miroku, finally coming back to their original conversation, ‘If they can get into Kagome’s mind, they’ll be able to find us wherever we go.’  
‘No, Kagome doesn’t know this world, they can’t see her mind, only hear her thoughts; and she doesn’t know any of this, so if she asks either don’t answer or lie and say you don’t know. And don’t tell her anything you think would be useful to the necromancer, Sesshomaru or whoever else is listening.’ When Inuyasha had finished a short silence fell upon the camp.  
  
The serenity of the camp was soon interrupted. The others had been sitting a little away from the camp so that no one listening in Kagome’s head could hear them. A scream filled their ears.  
‘Inuyasha!’ They turned to see Kagome writhing about as if in agony. Inuyasha ran over to her and held her tight in his arms trying to steady her.  
‘It’s okay, shussssssh it was only a dream, it’s not real,’ he said uncharacteristically soothingly.  
‘No! It wasn’t I saw it, they… they killed…’ she couldn’t say any more.  
‘What was it? Who did they kill?’ asked Inuyasha.  
‘I saw them, Sesshomaru and to others, a spectre like before and…another but they were in shadow, I didn’t see their faces,’ replied Kagome, seeming to calm a little as Inuyasha spoke to her.  
‘But who did they kill?’ asked Inuyasha softly.  
‘I…I can’t…I saw them, right in front of me they…’  
‘What?’ Sango asked kindly.  
‘They killed Inuyasha,’ she replied slowly, then seemed to go silent.  
‘Playing Kagome's fears now,' said Miroku, 'if Kazuya wasn't dead and gone, I'd think it was him, he always had a thing for Kago-’  
‘-Miroku, shussssssh!’ Sango hinted towards Kagome, and then hinted that they should move away from her if they talked. Inuyasha went to move away with them but Kagome clung to him just as she had done before.  
‘Please, don’t leave me,’ she seemed really out of it, her face was full of fear and tears were pouring down her face. The hanyou hadn't seen her so afraid since the confrontation with that damn Fear Demon Kazuya a few months ago, and he didn't like it. Inuyasha sat back down and she nestled up to him and closed her eyes, quite unaware of the others standing next to them, though Inuyasha’s face went bright red.  
  
‘Is it okay to talk?’ asked Sango.  
‘I think so, I don’t know that they’re listening right after that,’ replied Inuyasha quietly.  
‘What did they want this time?’ asked Miroku.  
‘I think they thought she needed to see what they’re capable of doing. They know what she’s afraid of; but besides that, we know now who they are, or at least what they are,’ stated Inuyasha.  
‘And what’s that?’ Sango asked quietly, eyeing Shippo warily as he stirred, he had gone straight back to sleep when Kagome had settled.  
‘We have Sesshomaru, the spectre was a Spearaahn warrior and the shadow was the necromancer,’ Inuyasha explained, not looking at the others but stroking Kagome’s hair absentmindedly, not seeming to realise the others had noticed.  
‘Miroku and I are going to check around a bit, we won’t go far, you want to come?’ asked Sango quietly. It took Inuyasha a while to answer.  
‘No, I think I…I want to stay here,’ he replied, Miroku and Sango found his behaviour odd; but left in any case thinking it was just that the new moon was coming, and also because they couldn’t help themselves but giggle at Inuyasha’s recent friendliness. The truth was, that Kagome relying on him so much lately had softened him, Sango and Miroku did not return until sun up, and neither did Inuyasha fully return to reality until then; he just sat there all night with Kagome in his arms, lost in deep thought.  
  


* * *

‘You idiot!’ yelled Sceaduwe at Y’leare, ‘they probably now know exactly who we all are and they’ll get to that stupid city and get the power to beat us!’  
‘You misunderstand my purpose Sceaduwe,’ stated Y’leare calmly, ‘I want them to get to Glisnia, because when they do, they will weaken the Hanyou both physically and mentally with training and it will be easier to get what we want from him.’  
‘And what is that exactly? I still don’t know what it is you want from my brother,’ said Sesshomaru accusingly.  
‘I will tell you with time, but for now, we must continue with our plans,’ continued the old woman. Sceaduwe sat in the background thinking of his own secret plan of which his companions were unaware. Sesshomaru shifted with annoyance, closing his eyes, not sleeping, just trying to control his anger. Rin was asleep once more at his side, and he was furious, trying to resist the urge to leap at the old woman and the warrior, and rip them apart. This was no easy thing though; their secretiveness was more than he could stand when they were sending him to do their dirty work. Hadn’t he agreed to this without knowing anything? Which for him was quite miraculous, he had a tendency to be very short-tempered sometimes (an unfortunate family trait), and he felt that if they didn’t show him some consideration soon, he would loose his patience altogether.  


TBC


	4. Unexpected Aid

****_Unexpected Aid  
_ -Four-  
  
  
When they awoke the next morning, they could see no sign that it was morning. The sky was completely dark except where the moon would have been at night; there was a light patch of sky, which they presumed, was where the sun lay behind the layers of shadow. Kagome awoke first that morning, having been the only one besides Shippo who slept at all. She had no idea of what had happened the night before when she awoke, so when she woke up in the morning, in Inuyasha’s arms she was naturally confused. Her back still ached and she was sure the wound had begun to bleed again. She thought of what excuses her grandfather must be making for her, whenever she visited the past, her grandfather made up illnesses for school and concealed the truth from Kagome’s friends at school. Kagome’s home was an old shrine and the well, which she used to travel back and forth to this world, was The Bone Eater's well. As it turned out, it was a crazed centipede demon, which had dragged her here in the first place, and Inuyasha was a stranger to her then. She remembered then the day they met. As Kagome ran through the forest crying out for help to escape the centipede demon, she awoke Inuyasha who at this point had been sealed to the tree for fifty years by Kikyo with an arrow through his heart. How far they had come since then. When she had hated Inuyasha and Inuyasha had hated her so thoroughly. Now she could not even remember what it was like to hate him. She also recalled then Kikyo, how everything had changed when Inuyasha’s old _enemy_ had returned. She had seen then that Inuyasha had in fact loved Kikyo, though knew nothing of his feelings at that point. The trickery Kikyo played on Inuyasha and Kagome, Kagome had come to think of her as truly evil, and this was something she had never thought of anyone before. It wasn’t to her knowledge that it was in fact herself, Kagome, who had softened Inuyasha and cured his heart, as Kikyo never could. Everybody seemed to be aware of this besides her.  
  
She sat beside Inuyasha dotingly, gazing at him as he slept while she lingered in the past. Then she remembered a particular thing of the past, how Inuyasha’s ears brought out her curiosity, how she toyed with them when he was sleeping, this made her laugh at thought of her past self. How young and naïve she had been back then, she couldn’t remember what it was like to be carefree and bored like any other teenager. Though that would mean life without Inuyasha, without Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kilala, without the excitement and utter happiness she felt whenever she was here. It was then that she knelt up on her knees and stroked Inuyasha’s ears. They were soft, like a puppy’s, he didn’t react to this however, and she stroked them with her fingertips amusedly.  
  
Then something happened, the wound in her back sent a sharp pain up her spine and she collapsed on top of Inuyasha. He awoke with a start and saw Kagome lying over him, with tears of pain streaming down her face.  
‘Kagome? What the hell are you doing?’ he asked her warily. Kagome would've been embarrassed if she wasn't in so much agony.  
‘My back, it just…I felt this pain and then I couldn’t move!’ she whimpered, Sango, Shippo, Miroku and Kilala began to stir now, rubbing their eyes sleepily as they sat up. Inuyasha leaned Kagome back on the ground on her front. Miroku eyed him in a funny way, though Sango seemed to guess what he was thinking and smacked him round the face.  
'What was that for?’ he yelled.  
‘For being a sick pervert, now come with me and Shippo to get water Inuyasha can take care of Kagome,’ Sango dragged both Miroku and a sleepy Shippo away with her, in search of the way back to the Finclarus, the last clear river before Glisnia where they had crossed the other day.  
  
‘Are you okay? Last night you seemed pretty out of it,’ said Inuyasha, opening the first aid kit.  
‘Did I? I can’t remember much after I fell asleep,’ said Kagome squinting through the pain. Inuyasha sighed, the only time he wanted to talk about his behaviour and she couldn’t remember, typical.  
‘You’re going to have to take this shirt off,’ said Inuyasha, ‘we can’t rip this one it’s the only thing you have left to wear.’ He turned away from her as she took her shirt off, (with great difficulty too). Inuyasha threw her his red kimono to cover up with. She held the Kimono over her chest, and Inuyasha pulled the blood stained bandages off the wound. The blood had run onto her shirt again but that was not his concern. The wound had been healing when he last looked, now it was as if only one hour had passed since the arrow had shot her.  
  
Inuyasha ran his fingers round the cut Kagome flinched. ‘Sorry, I don’t know what’s wrong, it seemed all right before, what have you been doing?’  
‘Maybe it was yesterday, when the serpent got me,’ replied Kagome, holding Inuyasha’s kimono round her front.  
‘Then why could you walk yesterday. I don’t understand.’ He had thought of the things following them, but if they had the power to stop healing, they would have killed them by now. Then Kagome pulled the kimono tighter round her.  
‘Inuyasha,’ Inuyasha turned his head to where she was looking, there looking at them from where he stood by a tree close by, staring blankly at them, Sesshomaru. Inuyasha didn’t move, Tetsusaiga lay next to Kagome and without Sesshomaru seeing she slowly began to edge her hand towards it.  
‘Well brother really, and in broad daylight too,’ Sesshomaru looked from Kagome to Inuyasha.  
‘Stay away from her,’ threatened Inuyasha as Sesshomaru’s gaze fell upon Kagome’s wound on her back.  
‘I’m here to help you.’  
‘I don’t trust you, _brother,_ now get away from us!’ Inuyasha ordered.  
‘I’d stop that if I were you girl,’ said Sesshomaru as Kagome’s fingers reached Tetsusaiga; Inuyasha pulled Kagome’s hand away. Kagome pulled Inuyasha’s kimono tighter round her and Inuyasha sat her up, holding her tight in case Sesshomaru tried anything. ‘That’s it Inuyasha, hold on tight to your human woman, you resemble our poor father so much it sickens me; then again though, you always resembled your parents more, you have the same sick love for humans, the same foolish weakness of caring for others.’ Then Kagome closed her eyes tight and trembled, she gripped Inuyasha’s hand tight trying to keep her pain silent. However, Inuyasha took his other hand away from her back and blood dripped from it.  
  
‘Whatever you have to say, say it quick or piss off!’  
‘Deal with your human and then talk if you wish, I don’t mind waiting.’  
‘Well I mind you standing there watching me, do you want to say something or not?’  
‘Fine,’ sighed Sesshomaru. ‘Trust me or not, there are youkai on your tail, wolf-youkai, they have had no food for days and have been tracking the scent of your human’s blood. You know as well as I, they will follow her scent now until their leader is killed.’ Inuyasha glared at him with extreme hatred and suspicion.  
‘Why are you telling me this?’ Inuyasha asked.  
‘It doesn’t matter; I just know that in order to help me I need you to know about the youkai. Help yourselves, and your human.’ He gazed at the blood dripping from Inuyasha’s hand.  
‘What now? You’ve already-‘  
‘-No it’s just that, that wound won’t heal, I had a spell cast upon me to poison that wound.’ Inuyasha knew he wasn’t lying, yet wondered why Sesshomaru would tell him. Then Sesshomaru approached them, Inuyasha pulled Kagome closer in to him as he drew near.  
‘That’s close enough!’ Barked Inuyasha as Sesshomaru stopped beside them; he withdrew a small purple bottle from his pocket and opened its lid.  
‘Let me help you,’ he said to Kagome. The half-demon looked down into Kagome’s eyes, she said nothing for a while, and then she felt another shot of pain.  
‘Inuyasha please, make it stop!’ Inuyasha leant her forward and allowed Sesshomaru near her, hating every moment of this plan but not never refusing anything Kagome asked...not lately anyway. _Hell besides the argument at the well we haven't even argued lately!_ Sesshomaru poured some of the lavender liquid onto Kagome’s wound and she screamed in agony as it sizzled and burned at the skin. Inuyasha held her tight, not allowing her to move. When Sesshomaru stood up and replaced the vial of liquid, Inuyasha saw the wound was closed, though the scar still showed up on her back.  
‘She’ll be able to walk soon,’ said Sesshomaru, walking away from them.  
‘Thank you,’ Kagome said, opening her eyes, Sesshomaru turned round; evidently surprised she had thanked him.  
‘Why did you help her?’ asked Inuyasha suspiciously.  
‘Rin, she would never let me leave the girl to die,’ replied Sesshomaru, turning ready to walk off, but Inuyasha had one more thing to say.  
‘I guess I’m not the only one who cares for others,’ The half-demon goaded as Sesshomaru walked away. 'Going soft in your old age Sesshomaru?!'  
'Inuyasha...' sighed Kagome, rolling her eyes, 'just, leave him..'  
  
Inuyasha told Kagome to wear his kimono for now, until he washed her shirt. ‘There may still be poison on it; I’ll wash it for you when the others return.’ The others didn’t return for a while, Kilala sat curled up in Kagome’s lap, awaiting the return of the others, while Inuyasha kept the fire going to keep Kagome warm. He had decided they wouldn’t travel today, instead they would rest and travel at night, praying more than anything that Sesshomaru would not return. He did not like the idea of him helping Kagome, even though he seemed to do it quite honestly and didn’t seem like a liar when he told them his reason for helping. He knew that Sesshomaru’s companions (whoever they were), would not have let him come if they had known. He remembered then being taken over by his youkai blood, that feeling of not trusting anybody that is what they all must feel. Sesshomaru must be betraying them, or else he was part of a plan he didn’t know about yet. He was glad his brother’s visit was a short one; he did not trust him around Kagome, the way he looked at her just then, the way he gazed at her blood, as if he was pleased with his work, it made Inuyasha feel sick. Kagome sat propped up against a tree, watching Inuyasha as he pottered about round the fire, seeing that his mind was racing and he wasn’t thinking much about what he was doing.  
‘What is wrong Inuyasha?’ she asked kindly, he stopped rummaging around in Sango’s pack and looked up. ‘You seem, well I don’t know, troubled.’  
‘No, I’m fine really; I just think it was odd that Sesshomaru helped us, even if it was for that girl.’  
‘Love can do funny things to strange people,’ said Kagome, ‘Rin has softened Sesshomaru, she’s changed him; he’s still evil, he’s still the same brother you’ve fought with all these years, but now he cares. He has feelings for someone else besides himself.’  
‘I know what that feels like,’ mumbled Inuyasha too himself.  
‘What?’  
‘I didn’t use to care for anything but myself, anything but finding the Shikon no Tama,’ he replied. Kagome sighed.  
‘That’s not true, you loved Kikyo…’ Inuyasha didn’t say anything to this, he just watched her carefully.  
‘I wasn't talking about her,’ he said finally. ‘I meant after her, and before her.’  
‘And now, what’s changed?’ she asked, continuing their conversation before she had mentioned the priestess, remembering that Inuyasha tended to get _touchy_ when she was mentioned. Even though it was only a few months ago when he had told her he’d chosen her over Kikyo, part of Kagome still felt that she saw Inuyasha’s eyes glitter slightly when she was mentioned. They hadn’t seen the woman since Inuyasha had left her in the forest, yet she wondered if Inuyasha had seen her when Kagome wasn’t there.  
  
‘I care, I care about you…and Shippo and the others,’ he continued, snapping Kagome out of her train of thought. ‘When I’m in battle I don’t think about winning to get another Jewel shard, I think about winning to protect you, to help the others.’ Inuyasha seemed a little embarrassed by what he had said, and turned away from her and continued to search through the bag.  
‘But you still care about the Sacred Jewel, don’t you?’ Kagome continued.  
‘I do, I want to find all the shards and restore the jewel; now it’s just that I don’t know what I’m going to do when it is restored.’  
‘Will you use it to turn into a human?’ She asked, he didn’t reply, ‘or maybe you’ll use it to become a youkai.’ Inuyasha did not answer her, he’d said enough of is feelings for one day; and the truth was, he didn’t know what he’d do once the Shikon no Tama was restored.  


* * *

Sango, Miroku and Shippo had been walking for hours; they had only just reached the Finclarus River. Sango tipped the water out of the skins and then washed them out. Trying not to think about the fact that the serpent Inuyasha killed yesterday had been dragged away, the only signs of it, it’s black, dried blood on the bank where the corpse had lain. Something must have dragged it off, but they didn’t like to think what would’ve had the strength to move it, or the stomach to eat it.  
  
‘Why did we come all this way if the skins were nearly full?’ asked Miroku, collapsing next to Sango on the bank.  
‘Lots of reasons,’ replied Sango simply.  
‘Name them then, I won’t be able to move for another hour anyway,’ said Shippo.  
‘I wanted to let Inuyasha have some alone time with Kagome for one thing,’ stated Sango, now filling the skins back up again.  
‘Why?’ Shippo asked naively.  
‘What happened last night, Inuyasha was truly concerned about her; I wanted them to talk alone for a few hours. To see if Inuyasha will stop being so stupid and open that big mouth of his to admit his damn emotions.’  
‘Why?’ Shippo persisted.  
‘Aren’t you sick of those two making lovey-dovey eyes at each other?’ asked Sango impatiently, now filling up the second skin. ‘The both of them, they’re so stupid, they don’t even realize how they feel about each other; I swear one day I’m just gonna lose it and throw them in a room and keep them there until they talk about their feelings.’ Shippo and Miroku sat gazing at her in awe, surprised that she had an outburst like this.  
‘Do you really think that Inuyasha will talk about his feelings? I don’t think so,’ said Shippo, dipping his feet into the water. Sango continued to fill the skins whilst Miroku and Shippo lay exhausted at her side.  
‘No, I think in the end it will be either Kagome making the first move or Kagome getting sick of waiting and going back to her world, for good.’  
‘Do you really think she’d leave us?’ Shippo asked worriedly.  
‘I think if Inuyasha doesn’t ask her to stay, she will,’ replied Sango, placing the lid back on the last skin.  
‘What was the other reason?’ asked Miroku, ‘you said there were other reasons why you wanted us to leave; what are they?’  
‘When I woke up this morning, I saw something by the water skins, I was sleepy so I couldn’t see clearly; but this morning I remembered and thought that maybe it was something poisoning our water.’  
‘Why didn’t you tell Inuyasha?’ Yelled Shippo.  
‘Because then he’d over react and Kagome isn’t well enough to be dragged too far today, he’d do it for her own good but it would be too much for her; though she’d never say, and Inuyasha can never be won over.’ Sango threw their skins at them and they got up reluctantly. ‘Come on, we’d best be getting back now, we have to get back before lunch or Inuyasha might finish all the food.’  


* * *

Meanwhile, back at camp Inuyasha roasted some rather funny looking pieces of meat over the fire while Kagome lay next to him, looking thoughtfully up at the dark sky.  
‘What are you thinking about?’ He asked her as he looked over to her.  
‘Nothing, well…I don’t know, just thinking about things,’ she replied not really knowing what to say.  
‘I don’t get you women,’ he said, turning the stick on which the pieces of meat. ‘You think so much that your heads nearly explode, you try and do everything yourselves, you never say what’s wrong with you and you’re far too considerate.’  
‘Was that aimed at me or at women in general?’ She asked, sitting up.  
‘Mostly at you, the only women I’ve ever known properly besides you are Sango and Kikyo. And Kikyo sealed me to a tree for fifty years and I never saw that coming, so I never knew her that well did I?’ He said this with a sort of humorous voice, but Kagome didn’t answer, she hated talking about Kikyo with Inuyasha, he could never seem to look her in the eye when he talked of the priestess, and this worried her. ‘I wonder where the hell she is,’ he said to himself.  
‘It must be terrible for her,’ said Kagome, trying to sound as if she didn’t hate her, ‘being tricked into thinking you were her enemy when she had feelings for you. Then being resurrected and seeing me at your side instead of her, when I wasn’t even supposed to be here.’ Inuyasha looked at her, slightly bewildered, _women_ , he thought, _they can change their minds in a second_.  
  
‘I guess,’ he replied, ‘but I spent most of time with her trying to steal the Sacred Jewel; but she could never kill me. When we finally realised why that was, we made a plan to use the Shikon jewel to turn me human, so we could...be together how we wanted to be. Then Naraku tricked us both, and she sealed me to the tree. When she came back, I felt like I was given a second chance, the chance to say the things I never got to say to her. But when the time came, when she waited there for me to tell her what I had felt, I found my feelings weren’t the same as they had been.’ Kagome gazed at him in amazement; he never shared his feelings before, though they weren’t about what she wanted to hear. ‘I never hated her, I loved her in a strange, twisted way; but not any more, even though it isn’t her fault, as much as a part of me might what it, things can never be the way they were again. And a bigger, much stronger part of me, doesn’t want them to be either.’ Kagome was lifted by these words although she didn’t fully believe him.  
‘Miroku once asked you a question, who would you choose,’ Inuyasha looked at her, he had forgotten that she had heard this conversation with Miroku, when Miroku asked him whom he would choose out of Kikyo and Kagome. ‘I know you chose me before, back when Kazuya was after me, but, I didn’t mean in that way, I meant who would you chose as-’  
‘I know what you meant,’ he interrupted, trying to smile, yet not seeming able to. ‘I’ve gone through a lot Kagome, and part of me is still confused as to what I want; I’m afraid I can’t answer that question now,’ Kagome looked away disappointed. ‘But I will,’ he said turning her head back to face him, ‘someday.’ For one, short moment, Kagome thought he was telling her with some kind of strange silent language, that he would choose her. However, her heart was easily crushed and when the silence fell over them again; and Inuyasha went back to roasting the meat, she began to feel as if his eyes were lying when she thought he would choose her.  
  
‘Here,’ he said to her, taking a piece of meat off the stick and passing it to her. She took it; Inuyasha threw a piece to Kilala who ate it greedily. ‘You can eat it you know, it’s not poison,’ she bit into it, _it is quite tasty actually_ , she thought as Inuyasha lay the other three bits down for Sango, Miroku and Shippo and took his piece.  
‘What is it?’ She asked him, Inuyasha shrugged.  
‘Who knows, I got it from Kaede, she told me that it lasts for ages so we could carry it with us.’  
‘Inuyasha,’ she said quietly. He made mumbled slightly in reply, as his mouth was too full for him to speak. ‘I want to tell you something.’ Inuyasha, seeing this was important swallowed hard to empty his mouth.  
‘What is it?’ He asked her, his throat sore where he’d swallowed too hard, but she did not get a chance to answer, it was then that Sango, Miroku and Shippo returned.  
‘Hey, we’re back!’ yelled Shippo, Inuyasha shuffled away from Kagome slightly, seeming to think he was too close. The others sat down exhausted at the fireside and Kilala hopped happily onto Sango’s lap. Inuyasha pushed their food towards them; and they ate theirs ravenously, with Kagome still nibbling at the edges of hers. When they had finished their lunch, they all agreed that they were to stay put for today, and move out that night. Shippo and Miroku fell asleep immediately; Inuyasha had no time for sleep, he took Kagome’s shirt to wash the blood off of it for her while the others rested, he went alone, insisting he would be faster on his own. Sango stayed up purposely to hear what Kagome and Inuyasha had said to each other.  
  
Kagome told her all about Sesshomaru helping her and the discussion about Kikyo, right up to when they had returned. Sango clicked her tongue impatiently.  
‘That thick head of his, he still cares about that traitor after all she’s done.’  
‘We don’t know that, I don’t think even _Inuyasha_ knows what’s going on in that head of his,’ corrected Kagome thoughtfully.  
‘So why did you take your shirt off again?’ asked Sango, smiling funnily.  
‘Because my wound hadn’t healed, he gave me his kimono to cover up in any case.’  
‘Oh yes, very gentlemanly, at least I didn’t leave you with Miroku, you wouldn’t have stood a chance. What did he do when Sesshomaru appeared?’  
‘He just kept telling him to back off, then Sesshomaru told us about the youkai, then said he could help me; I don’t think Inuyasha liked him coming near me very much.’  
‘Of course he didn’t, he always loses his head when other men get near you, whether they’re evil or not.’ Kagome knew this was true of course.  
‘But why are we sitting here if Sesshomaru told us youkai are coming after us?’ asked Sango.  
‘I don’t think Inuyasha believed him,’ concluded Kagome, ‘but I wish he was here, I don’t like it much when it’s dark and he’s not with us; does that sound silly to you?’  
‘No, as much as I hate to admit it, I don’t like it much either when Inuyasha and the Tetsusaiga aren’t around, it makes me edgy.’ Then Kagome shot bolt upright, she had heard something.  
  
  
TBC


	5. Call of the Youkai

**Call of the Youkai**  
-Five-  
  
  
Sango pulled the Hirakoitsu near as Kagome nudged Shippo and Miroku.  
“What?” Miroku exclaimed as he awoke.  
“Shush!” They hushed him, Sango placing a hand over his mouth. Kagome grabbed her bow, which lay at her side, Miroku, suddenly fully awake, understood what was happening, and grabbed his staff, Shippo leaping onto Kagome’s shoulders in fear. Thousands of yellow eyes appeared in the darkness, evil growls echoed round them as they all stood up slowly.  
“What are they?” asked Shippo shuddering.  
“Inuyasha was wrong Sango, it’s the demons,” Kagome looked down at Inuyasha’s kimono that she was wearing. The very first time he had covered her with it, he said that it would protect her and it was stronger than any armour; but right now, it was about to get her killed, not save her – the sleeves were covered in blood, _her_ s blood, from when he had dressed her wound earlier, and the demons could smell it.  
  
Suddenly, what must have been the leader let out a shrill, terrifying howl. The sound seemed to stretch through the darkness, a never-ending cry to the wolf’s followers. Then came another howl in reply, and another; they seemed to be answering, each cry more terrifying, and nearer than the last. More and more wide, yellow eyes began to appear in the shadows of the trees.  
  
Kagome’s wound was healed but as Sesshomaru had said, she would still need to recover a little more. Sango grabbed her arm and whispered to her companions.  
“When I give the word, head for the trees,” the demons had left the shadows of the trees and came into the firelight; they were wolves for sure, but not ordinary wolves…wild tufts of mangled fur all over their body as they prowled around the campsite. Sango slung the boomerang over her back, seizing hold of some firewood, and held it as a torch in her hand. “NOW!” yelled the demon slayer and they bolted for the trees. The demons leaped in for attack. Sango flailed the fire around in front of her and the demons yelped, backing away from her and Kagome; but not all the wolves were cowards. Three jumped towards Sango, not fearing the fire and snapped at Kagome’s legs. “No!” She thrashed the flames at them; the hide of one catching on fire. The death, however, didn’t seem to deter the, in fact, it seemed to enrage them further, as opposed to scaring them off. Miroku snatched up Shippo, darting for the nearest tree, a demon raking its claws into his leg, pinning him against it. Throwing Shippo into the tree and kicking away the demon, Miroku snatched hold of the lowest branch, and swung himself up into safety after the kitsune. The demon jumped, nearly catching Miroku’s legs. The monk hoisted him self higher into the tree, Shippo already having scrambled to the top.  
  
Kilala had jumped into a tree and Sango, dragging Kagome by her arm headed for the same one; but the demons were tracking Kagome’s blood and followed them. Now they were the only ones left on the ground _all_ the demons charged towards them. Miroku and Shippo could not see through the thick, black branches of the tree they were in; they just hoped they had reached safety.  
  
The wolves enclosed around them, Sango threw the fire into them and they scattered, “Kagome quick! Climb onto my shoulders and up the tree!” Kagome did as she was told; Sango hoisted her up onto her shoulders and she jumped into the tree. Leaping up after her, Sango narrowly escaped the jaws of the demons who snapped at her legs as she jumped. “Climb higher Kagome! They’re coming after us!” The girl climbed higher and higher, whilst the branches clawed at Sango’s body and clothes, Inuyasha’s kimono protected Kagome from all the cuts and gashes Sango was receiving. But then it happened – The trees, weakened from age, swayed threateningly under the weight of those in its branches. Reaching for a branch to climb higher, Kagome pressed her weight onto the branch she was standing on, and it gave way. She crashed downwards through the branches. Sango snatched Kagome's hand in her own, and she hung in mid-air, Sango being the only thing keeping her up. “Don’t let go!” shouted Sango, her hand was drenched with sweat, and Kagome’s was slipping out of her grasp. Then, Kagome’s fingers slipped through Sango’s, and she fell to the floor with a thud, hitting her head as she landed.  
“Kagome!” yelled Sango as the wolves surrounded her. The wolf pack leader, a large black wolf came towards a dizzy, disorientated Kagome. Her vision distorted from the fall, Kagome couldn’t decipher what was happening around her by sight, but she heard the wolves snarling at her. The pack leader leapt in for attack, Kagome flinched, recoiling as far back into the tree’s trunk as she could go, holding her arms over her head, only to have the wolf sink his teeth into her arm. On the verge of screaming in agony, Kagome’s eyes widened. She didn’t feel any pain. The wolf’s fangs did not pierce through the fire-rat cloth still wrapped around her; she was safe – for now. The demon held its grip, getting tighter and tighter with every second; his teeth would soon pierce through – she was _sure_ of it. Kagome kicked the demon in the throat and he skidded backwards slightly. The wolves more enraged than ever snarled and snapped close by as the leader advanced once more, pinning her to the ground.  
“Help me!” she screamed as the creature’s foul breath steamed onto her face, its wide jaws getting nearer and nearer.  
“Kagome!” Sango tried to get down but the demons at the bottom would not allow it, craftily placed guards at each tree to blocking their escape. The wolf's open jaws neared Kagome’s face.  
“INUYASHA!” She screamed, hoping he would hear her; the wolf leader seeming to snigger at her panicked cries, and the demon’s teeth drew nearer. Then it stopped, its black pupils in its yellow eyes contracted and it collapsed on top of her. Kagome looked up; something had stuck in the back of the wolf…the Tetsusaiga!  
  
Inuyasha walked forward and the wolves scattered, confused now their leader was dead, further confused at the scent of both human and demon in Inuyasha’s blood, too simple and lost to grasp the fact of a half-demon. Inuyasha pulled the Tetsusaiga out of the demon and kicked the corpse off Kagome. Unthinkingly, the girl leapt up, pulling the half-demon into a tight embrace. “You came back! You came back!”  
“Of course I did, stupid!” he growled in response, a smirk playing at his lips. Suddenly the half-demon was brought back to reality – the wolves could still smell blood and were not leaving until they had it. Inuyasha withdrew from his shirt; the shirt part of Kagome’s yukata, that he took to clean off the blood.  
“I’m really sorry about his,” he said, Kagome looked up at him confusedly but she soon knew what he was sorry for; he pulled his kimono off of her, flung her shirt round her and threw his kimono at the youkai. Smelling the blood on it, they scrambled to reach it. Too scared to be angry at this motion Inuyasha had taken upon himself to do, Kagome just pulled the shirt tight round her chest, turning her head to rest against Inuyasha’s shoulder. The wolves licked the blood off Inuyasha’s kimono and then looked round to where he knelt with Kagome on the ground. Growling under his breath, Inuyasha snatched up the piece of firewood, (which lay on the ground where Sango had thrown it) throwing it into the crowd of wolves. Leaderless and satisfied with their taste of blood, they scattered off into the shadows of the trees once more.  
  
Getting to his feet slowly, Inuyasha snatched his kimono off the ground, and threw that round Kagome as well, just as Miroku, Shippo, Sango and Kilala jumped down from the trees.  
  
“Kagome, you’re okay, I couldn’t get down; are you alright?” Sango asked worriedly as the fretful kitsune leapt at Kagome’s torso, hugging her tight. The girl’s raised a brow as the monk approached, a strangely familiar look befalling his features.  
“Kagome, can I have a hug too?” Flinching at the sound of Sango’s palm smacking against Miroku’s face, Inuyasha pulled his kimono a little tighter round Kagome’s shoulder. “What? I was being quite innocent! I was just as worried as you! I was merely expressing my gratefulness for her safety, nothing more!” Miroku exclaimed.  
“Oh I’m sure you were!” the demon slayer yelled, “perfectly innocent.”  
“Yeah, I suppose it _completely_ slipped your mind I’m _naked_ under here!” Kagome scolded, the kitsune nodding his head in agreement as Inuyasha flushed at Kagome’s words. The monk (who the words were directed at) merely smiled, feigning his blamelessness.  
  
“Miroku come with me to get the things the damn wolves scattered while Kagome puts her clothes back on,” the half-demon ordered, seizing the perverted monk by his arm and dragging him off towards the trees, “we have to leave soon, once they have a new leader the mutts’ll return.” Inclining his head to call back over his shoulder, he yelled back to the girls and the kitsune, “If you’re bleeding clean it up, we don’t want them following the scent.”  
  
“Sorry about that Inuyasha, my excitement overcame me,” apologised Miroku as he and Inuyasha gathered the scattered items the wolves had taken from their camp, and then abandoned when they saw they couldn’t get into them.  
“Just see that you keep that excitement under control, _sick-minded individual_!” replied Inuyasha, the last part under his breathe.  
“I can’t help it at times… When you know love for a woman, your excitement gets out of control sometimes. _You_ should know Inuyasha,” the monk teased, “what with all the times you sneak of with Kikyo, and how you disappear to Kagome’s era all the time.”  
“I don’t do – do – things like _that_ with Kagome! Nor did I with Kikyo you lecherous pervert! I may not be an expert in women but even _I_ know that with the way _your_ going _you’ll_ be the one who gets left in the dust when Sango gets fed up with you!” Inuyasha exclaimed, “every time she turns around your thinking or _feeling_ someone else!” Miroku sighed soflty as they turned to head back to the girls.  
“We’re promised…for each other…she knows that…” The half-demon looked to his friend thoughtfully.  
“Yeah, well as Kagome keeps telling me, girls like to be reminded all the damn time,” he grumbled.”  
  
After stuffing everything roughly back into the bags, Inuyasha and Miroku rejoined the girls and Shippo and Kilala; the monk not missing the opportunity to roll his eyes at Inuyasha playing _‘leader’_.  
“Right, I know Kilala can’t carry us forever, but we need her to get us far away from here before the youkai return,” said Inuyasha, “or before _whatever_ started this damn ambush comes to finish what those mutts couldn’t.” Kagome wondered how Inuyasha could suddenly be so strong and orderly, so soon after all that had happened, before she realised that someone had to, and her thoughts ceased. Inuyasha, so used to panic and having to get moving after being attacked, having _grown up_ in that kind of environment after all…she supposed it only natural he take charge. With Inuyasha’s words, Kilala gave a little understanding mewl, as Sango let her to the ground from her arms, and transformed. However, as the group clambered hastily onto her back, they did not see Sesshomaru standing in the clearing behind them.  
“Very good _Brother_ …I’m almost impressed,” he muttered, an evil grin twitching at the sides of his normally expressionless mouth.  
  
The fire-cat-demon leapt forwards, Inuyasha’s clawed hands clutching Kagome’s legs as he kept in the demon’s stride. The moon was in the sky now, or rather _would_ have been, had it been visible through the veil of darkness that the group had soon realised, seemed to linger overhead at all times.  
“Inuyasha,” asked Shippo, “how did you know to come back earlier?”  
“I could smell those mangy wolves, and Kagome; I knew they were in the same place, so I started back, it was only when I was relatively near that I realised just how close they were,” explained Inuyasha.  
“So he was telling us the truth?” Inuyasha inclined his head slightly to look at Kagome as she spoke, “Sesshomaru, he told the truth.”  
“That’s not what I’m worried about,” mumbled the half-demon.  
“What is it then?” asked Sango.  
“Why was he telling the truth? Why did he help Kagome? It doesn’t make sense…”  
“For Rin,” Sango reasoned, “he told us.”  
“Yes, but why did the others let him come, surely they must have known?” suggested Miroku.  
“They were probably too busy discussing how best to destroy me,” they gazed in front of them and there, in their path was Sesshomaru.  
“Well, speak of the devil and he shall appear,” growled Inuyasha, unconsciously tightening his hold on Kagome’s thighs.  
“You needn’t worry about my purpose, it was not for you brother, it wasn’t for your human, it was for me. Helping you meant helping _me_ find out what my companions are up to; so stop pondering what I did and think about what _you’re_ going to do.”  
  
Sesshomaru walked casually out of their range of vision, as if turning their back on one another wasn’t something he and the others had to worry about. “Cocky bastard…” Inuyasha grumbled. After listening to Inuyasha’s grumbling and various insults about Sesshomaru’s sexuality and uses of animals of all sorts for only a moment longer, they continued onwards, on foot – allowing poor Kilala a break.  
  
They had been going for what must have been hours when Kagome dropped to her knees and could go no further.  
“Kagome, what’s wrong?” asked Inuyasha, concerned.  
“I just…I’m so tired, I can’t walk any further, you go on ahead and I’ll catch up in a minute; I just need to rest a little.” Inuyasha knelt down beside her.  
“We can’t stop, we have to keep going.”  
“I can’t go any further right now.”  
“I’m not leaving you here come on,” Inuyasha said as softly as he could, hoisting her onto his back and running to catch up to the others.  
“Inuyasha,” Kagome whispered, “Don’t worry,” she said, seeming to have second thoughts about what she was about to ask.  
“What?” he asked impatiently, beginning to feel too tired to be _nice_ at the moment.  
“I was just thinking about what makes me afraid and…I don’t know, I was just wondering what makes you afraid. We’ve had our run-in with Kazuya, but even then, I acted like a scared little child…you didn’t…” Inuyasha looked up into the sky where the moon out to have been if it was nighttime still, “Does it scare you that much, being human for one night?”  
“I’m not scared of being human; I’m scared of what is gonna happen _whilst_ I’m human. What are you afraid of then?” Inuyasha asked her, preferring to keep this conversation away from his emotions right now. Kagome didn’t know how to answer this question without embarrassing him, and then she had a thought.  
“I’m a teenage girl, I’m afraid of nearly everything.”  
“You’re not afraid of Sesshomaru are you?”  
“No, but you’ve asked me that before.”  
“Well answer my question properly then. What are you afraid of most?” She sighed and answered quietly.  
“I’m afraid of you,” Inuyasha frowned as she answered, “because the thing that can hurt me the most is you; I’m afraid you’re gonna turn on me, or leave me alone in my own world, like before, or that you’re gonna die…”  
“Don’t be so stupid! How can I possibly be the thing your scared of most?” asked Inuyasha huffily.  
“Because I care about you most that’s how,” Kagome answered, Inuyasha felt silly now, flushing slightly – not for the first time that night. Naturally, she would be afraid of him after everything that he’d done.  
  
“Kagome?” he asked, “have you always had the same fears? I mean, do you ever get over any of them?”  
“My fears change all the time, but then, with all the things we face in the dark places of the world, I guess it's to be expected. Some things I was afraid of in my era, seem less frightening in comparison to some things I’ve seen here… I guess sometimes there are just more important things than being afraid…”  
“So what was your fear before you met me?” Kagome took some time to answer his question.  
“Of dying before living the life I wanted to…I didn’t want what every girl in my era would probably call desirable. I wanted more for my life than to become just another scholar or something; I wanted to help people, then I met you,” she waited a little after her answer and then asked Inuyasha a question, seeing he was in a fairly open mood after her questions. “What was _your_ worst fear before you met me?” Again, his cheeks were tinted with an awkward blush.  
“Well...I guess...being weak, the reason I wanted the Sacred jewel was to become full demon and never be weak. But then…you already knew that.”  
“Is that still one of your fears?” Kagome asked, ignoring the last part.  
“No…I know now, being afraid of being weak is a stupid fear when you have as much to loose as I have.”  
“So, are you saying that you’re afraid of loosing us?” she asked drowsily, though not staying awake long enough to hear the answer; Kagome’s eyelids fluttering shut as she drifted into a light doze. Inuyasha tilted his head up to look into her face, and smiled slightly, finding himself not having to answer her question as she slept on.  
  
  
TBC


	6. New Moon Rising

**New Moon Rising  
-Six-  
  
  
** They awoke early the next morning, not having got much sleep, only able to tell it was morning as the moon was gone but no sign of the sun had appeared yet, not even the patch of lighter shadow that usually characterized its presence. Now Kagome could walk on her own a little, this meant that they could get going quicker. They ate their breakfast under the dark sky, each dreading the day to come.  
“Anybody else here just want to go back to sleep?” asked Miroku with his eyes half closed.  
“All of us,” replied Sango dimly, who hadn’t got much sleep, _not_ unlike the rest of them.  
“I don’t need rest, I slept like a log last night,” piped up Shippo.  
“We know!” They all shouted. “In fact I’d go so far as to say even _Kaede_ heard your snoring all the way back in the village,” the monk grumbled.  
‘”I don’t snore!” Shippo protested.  
“Really?” Miroku asked sarcastically, rubbing his chin, feigning thoughtfulness, “Then I wonder what that sound might’ve been – perhaps a _landslide_ nearby?” Shippo pounced on Miroku’s head like an angry cat.  
“Don’t be so grouchy!”  
“I’m not being grouchy; I merely suggested that you have an annoying sleeping habit.”  
“At least he keeps his hands to himself during the night,” mumbled Sango from her flask of water, swigging it back swiftly to avoid Miroku’s eye.  
“Firstly, _that_ was an accident,” the monk said in his defence.  
“Which time was it an accident?”  
“ _Secondly_ , in my defence, Shippo has much smaller hands to keep track of.”  
“Or maybe he just has a lot more control over his mind,” suggested Sango, again, taking another drink.  
“But in his defence,” chimed in Shippo, “I’m not too sure why he’s got such a problem with _wandering hands_ – isn’t that what you called them Kagome?” the kitsune asked the girl, though she didn’t answer, much preferring to leave teasing Miroku to the demon slayer.  
“Yeah,” agreed Miroku, “wait, no, no I don’t. I’m completely innocent! It’s not my fault!”  
“Oh yes really innocent, completely naïve,” Sango almost growled.  
“If you lot don’t shut the hell up, I’ll pull you inside out by your flapping tongues!” Inuyasha yelled angrily, his fist waving about threateningly. _Perhaps **Inuyasha** is the grumpy one today,_ Shippo thought. The three of them fell completely silent after this sudden outburst, having all but completely forgotten the half-demon who’d been so silent up until now.. “We have to get as far as we can today, _and_ we need to find a safer spot than we did last night,” the half-demon continued, “ _and_ we can’t waste any more time sitting here.” He punctuated the point by standing swiftly, his companions reluctantly getting to their feet.  
  
Walking that day felt harder than it should have, but their eyes ached with the lack of sleep and their bodies trembled in the cold. They came to a hill, which stood high above them, nothing growing – even the grass upon it seeming dead and withered like the rest of the wildlife in these lands. Half walking, half crawling, they set upon getting up the hill. It was steep, and as they had guessed, the air was colder as they went further and further up. Upon reaching the top, their sides ached for lack of breath and their feet and the muscles in their legs throbbed painfully from the long trek up; then they realized they had to walk all the way back down the other side. But the exception was Inuyasha.  
  
The half-demon bounded up to the peak in patronisingly easy leaps, reaching the bottom swiftly enough to be tapping his foot impatiently on the ground as he waited for them to catch up. When his friends reached the bottom, they all collapsed at his feet, causing him to roll his eyes impatiently, a little overanxious about the approaching night to offer any sympathy for their comparably weak human legs.  
“Never again will I walk!” Kagome gasped, her chest heaving up and down in rapid movements as she struggled to regain her breath.  
“I think I’m just going to curl up here and die,” mumbled Miroku, noting Inuyasha’s ear tweaking in annoyance of their complaints.  
“Yeah, I think every part of my body is going to fall off,” complained Shippo; they all paused, looking at him in disbelief.  
“Shippo,” said Inuyasha, “you didn’t even _walk_ down; _Kagome_ carried you all the way!” the kitsune blushed.  
“Well,” he began, obviously searching his mind for an excuse, “she jerked about a lot.”  
“She's only just recovered,” the half-demon scolded him, eyes glancing occasionally down to Kagome, who was gazing thoughtfully up at him from her place on the grass, just beside his feet. “She doesn't need you burdening her with your weight!' Shippo growled in response.  
“Don't be grumpy with me just because you didn't get any sleep, Inuyasha you – you – you – you-” he cut off as Inuyasha's fist landed upside his head “-ow...”  
“Whatever,” Inuyasha grumbled, rolling his eyes in frustration, “but we need to get moving, we have to find a safe spot to spend the night.” Kagome thought she heard Sango mutter something like, _since when is Inuyasha the boss…_ but she soon forgot it as Inuyasha offered her his hand. The priestess blinked confusedly at it for a moment, before taking it, allowing him to pull her to his feet. His golden gaze bore into her back as she trod on alongside Sango and Miroku, keeping her moving. She knew if she stumbled or fell behind, he’d carry her, and she didn’t want to burden him with her weight, not anymore.  
  
They found a small deserted cave not far from there. It wasn’t exactly luxury; but it was dry, it didn’t go back very far and seemed as if nothing had been there for years, (nothing alive anyway). Taking advantage of the dark storm clouds, which billowed above, they lit a fire to warm the cave. It would have been not long from sunset when Kagome delved into her backpack, routing through for something to eat. Miroku and Sango sat at the fire, taking it in turns to poke at another dosage of the meat Kaede had given them, which they were roasting above the fire – nobody truly looking forward to having that meal _again_ , it becoming rather off-putting to keep having the same thing. Shippo lay close beside Kagome and Kilala laid curled up on the said girl’s lap. Inuyasha, who was sitting next to her, suddenly got up.  
  
“Where are you going?” asked Sango, looking up at him.  
“Not far,” he replied simply, “don’t worry about me, I’ll be back soon.” Turning his back, he disappeared into the dead forest that sat not far from the cave entrance. Sango made a sort of questioning face at Miroku, who answered her by pointing up at the sky; no moon shining tonight beyond the dark veils. It was the night of the new moon. They ate their dinner ravenously, starved after trekking so far – but even after their portion was long gone, Inuyasha did not return to eat his.  
  
After a long time of waiting for his return, panic started to rise up in them, that was un until Kagome had begun to insist they go looking for him, and Shippo had taken a deep, determined sniff of the air, insisting that Inuyasha was okay. Supposing the little kitsune to be correct, and guessing Inuyasha wouldn’t want to be fussed over right now, they decided that it’d only aggravate his already fraying temper, and that they and he’d be better off if they just went to sleep. Sango curled up next to Kilala and Kagome, Miroku dozing asleep near the fire and Shippo sat somewhere in between. Kagome however, couldn’t fall asleep. Glancing over at her friends, and making sure they were all asleep, she crawled away from her place by the fireside slowly, following Inuyasha’s footsteps into the forest.  
  
The forest was dead, the bark on the trees a charcoal black and no leaves even trying to cling to the branches. Picturing how this forest might once have stood, rich, glistening and alive, Kagome slightly more comforted as she walked alone in this ghostly place. She stumbled into a clearing, where the moonlight probably would have shone full if had been up. The only light shimmered from a thin, worryingly black stream, which ran through the forest; there in the clearing, gazing at his reflection was Inuyasha. Once silver hair had become as black and as pitch as Kagome’s or Sango’s, and his dog-like ears had disappeared completely from the top of his head, replaced with human ears either side of his _human_ face.  
“You don’t have to hide from me when you’re like this you know,” Kagome assured him softly as she approached.  
“I’m not hiding; and any way you were safer with the others, I can’t protect you tonight,” he replied still gazing at his reflection.  
“I know, but…maybe I don’t need to be protected tonight, maybe I need to just sit here with you.” The girl rested beside him quietly, looking at his reflection in the water, the two of them falling into complete silence for a while.  
  
“It’s so strange,” Inuyasha piped up suddenly, ignoring her speech from a moment ago, “I don’t know what I want anymore.” He turned to face her; his _would be_ golden eyes now as dark as her own. “If I’m a half-demon there’s always a danger that I will lose control; I am never at peace. But when I’m human, I’m useless, and always in fear.”  
“You make being a human sound so bad,” said Kagome with a smile, an understanding smile that reminded him painfully of his mother’s, “it’s not that truly terrible.”  
“It is, when you’ve felt real power and then suddenly you’re helpless.”  
“You’re not helpless,” argued Kagome, “you’re Inuyasha and-”  
“Yeah, and that’d make you Kagome right?” he said with a tone of sarcasm. Kagome sighed, before continuing.  
“Exactly, so try and understand, sometimes _Inuyasha_ needs to protect _Kagome_ , but…sometimes, _Kagome_ needs to protect _Inuyasha_.”  
“Feh, what can you protect me from?” he asked indignantly, looking back at his reflection.  
“From yourself.” She leaned closer to him, and skittishly placed her hand in his as she knelt beside him, still gazing into the dark water, the dark haired humans reflected on its surface. “You do so much for me, every day you show me how life can really be lived. And this one night a month, is it so hard to admit that you need me to do something for you?” He didn’t answer her.  
  
“This,” Kagome said, stroking his face and hair softly, getting his full attention at last as he looked into her eyes, “this is all just a shell, it’s what’s inside you that counts; and no matter what you say, you never truly change inside during this time each month.”  
“All that’s inside me that _matters_ is…the power inherited from my father, just blood – when I’m human I’m not anything.”  
“You are,” she said, “you’re Inuyasha.”  
“Yeah, and a fabulous name it is too,” he bit back sarcastically.  
“And what about your mother? Didn’t she give you anything worth having?” Inuyasha’s teeth grated together at the mention of his mother, always hating speaking of her.  
“Kagome, that’s not-”  
“-Because she loved you! And to bear all the tortures that came with being with your father she must’ve loved him too! Someone who loved people so much, are you saying she didn’t give you _anything_?” Her voice was angry now, and Inuyasha’s ears wilted a little at it. She was right. He sighed, flushing slightly as he squeezed her hand a little tighter. “Because I think…that perhaps…all the parts of you that are tucked away, the _you_ that no one gets to see, the _you_ that I lo…that I care about the most, I think you got that from her… Everything that’s _you_ isn’t just from your father’s blood, it’s what _you_ make yourself, and you’re _strong_ Inuyasha, human, half-demon or full-demon, it doesn’t matter. There is so much more to you than you realise, so much more you can’t see; but I can see it.”  
“And what’s that?”  
“I see a man who was forced into this life, a life with no family or friends; you grew up with nothing and yet still became who you are today-”  
“-A screw up-”  
“-A great man and friend.” She interrupted, correcting him with a strange look in her eyes he recognised, and it made his cheeks flush a little darker. “You’ve looked after me and cared for me every day since I met you, even when you didn’t really like me at all, even when we _hated_ each other. You taught me how to truly live, how to really feel alive; if you were nothing how could you make me feel like that?” Inuyasha shrugged; more out of embarrassment at how deep she was going with this than anything else, swallowing nervously. “But, I can see something else in you, something you seem to have forgotten you have; something you hide away and cover with hate and power so no one will know that it’s there. You grew up alone, and because of that you push every body away in fear that when you get too close they'll leave you one way or another, and you'll end up being hurt again, in case they touch what you have fought so hard to keep hidden all these years; I can see your heart Inuyasha.”  
  
The half-demon fell silent; he looked up into Kagome’s eyes and held her hand, blushing furiously.  
“How do you ever expect me to be able to make you feel as good, as happy as you make me feel?” he asked nervously, trying to act as gruff as he could, but failing miserably; she looked into his face, about to reply, but she had no time.  
  
“Inuyasha! Kagome!” they could hear Sango’s voice calling them from the cave. Darting back to where they had left their friends, there they were still, but they weren’t alone. Dozens of emaciated, skeletal creatures had appeared, each with a broadsword clasped in their spindly, spider-like hands along with an archaic shield. Kagome winced at the look of them, hands clamping tight over her mouth at their stench.  
“Argh! Inuyasha they – it – it smells – like rotting flesh!” Inuyasha (for the first time in a long while), was glad he didn’t have his sensitive half-demon nose right now. It was as Inuyasha had feared; their enemies somehow must’ve _known_ that he was vulnerable on this night each month. Dead or not, these creatures were a threat – A group were swiftly advancing on Miroku, pressing him into the back of the cave, his face contorting in revulsion as they neared him. Sango and a transformed Kilala fought, barely visible amongst the crowd of creatures who were all striving to bundle on top of them and crush them to the ground, the kitsune leaping up, sinking his teeth into anything that got in his way, short, fiery blasts of Fox fire, sizzling at the already dead bodies.  
  
More seemed to keep appearing everywhere but they didn’t know where from. As more came, they spotted Kagome and Inuyasha standing at the edge of the forest, practically howling with delight and charged toward them. Brandishing a currently all-but useless Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha seized Kagome’s shoulder pushing in front of her as the things reached for them, slicing their gnarled arms from their bodies as they advanced. A loud yelp filled the air as Kagome felt her legs knocked from under her, clawed _fingers_ snatching at her ankles and slamming her to the ground. Struggling round she kicked out with her legs, ridding their hold on her and diving for the bow her bow, lying carelessly on the ground by the camp. She winced as he still weak back collided with the ground, reaching for the bow that lay there. The girl screamed out loudly as sharp, needle-like fangs sunk into her arm viciously, trying to keep her fingers from enclosing around the weapon. Wincing in pain she reached with the other hand. Spinning round she shot an arrow out at the monster that was clawing at her with its spiteful talons. She jumped to her feet as the creature writhed in pain in the dirt beside her. A transformed Kilala flew beside her; a hand shot down from Kilala’s back and dragged her up. Inuyasha pulled her up and sat her beside him and the others.  
“Kilala run, quick!” shouted Sango; Kilala dashed as fast as she could away from the creatures, which scratched at her legs and tail as she ran the fire that billowed at her feet not scathing their already dead flesh. But she wasn’t quick enough; the monsters were upon them again in seconds.  
  
“Kilala faster, they’re going to catch us!” yelled Miroku; but just then, as Kilala turned the corner of the forest, navigating through the lifeless trees they saw it. It seemed impossible that something so bright could shine through all the darkness they’d seen since arriving here. Silver light glowed in the far distance; it was Glisnia. They were ripped from their state of awe as suddenly, one of the beasts slashed with their sword across Kilala’s side, crying out she stopped immediately and Kagome and Inuyasha who were in front of the others, shot off over her head and onto the ground, skidding to a halt as they collided together, chest to chest nearly clean into a tree.  
“Ow!” shrieked Kagome.  
“Right, now my ass is bruised as well as my pride…stinkin’ corpses,” cursed Inuyasha sitting up.  
“Inuyasha look out!” yelled Kagome; she pulled him forwards, causing him to roll over on top of her just in time. A dagger flew past them and hit the tree trunk where Inuyasha’s head had been moments before. Inuyasha rolled off Kagome in embarrassment, (though he took care not to show his violent blushing) and he gave her a hand up off of the ground.  
  
The others dropped to the floor, Kilala twisting and mewling in pain, transforming back to her smaller form, her mistress scooping her up swiftly, petting her ears soothingly.  
  
Inuyasha’s legs buckled under the influence of the pain, Kagome pulled his arm round her to support him.  
“Umm, Inuyasha, who are they?” asked Shippo timidly who stood beside Miroku. The half-demon looked up; the creatures were being driven away by soldiers, soldiers clothed in armour of pure silver, which didn’t even seem to tarnish as razor claws and blades grated into their surface.  
  
When the oncoming morning mist had swallowed up the creatures’ figures, the men turned to the others; and started to walk towards them. Shippo ran, darting onto Kagome’s shoulder in fear, the monk and the demon slayer, moving swiftly towards their friends. Inuyasha noticed that Kagome was squeezing his arm harder and harder as they approached. They didn’t like the look of this.  
  
  
  
TBC


	7. Hostile Jealousy

**Hostile Jealousy  
-Seven-  
  
  
** "That’s far enough!" Inuyasha called to them as they stopped within metres of them, "who the hell are you?"  
"You are the ones being pursued by Skelos warriors, the guardians of Spearaah. _You_ are the ones who are in the eternally dark lands. Who are you?" asked one of the men, (evidently the leader). They didn't know what to do. After all that they'd seen in their travels across feudal Japan, they knew it'd be a pretty stupid thing to do, to give a bunch of demon slaying _strangers_ your names; they did not answer. But as impatience rose in the leader's face, they realised they'd better think of something - and fast. "Tell us your name outsider or we’ll have to take into our custody."  
"My name is Kagome Higurashi," replied Kagome, figuring she was relatively safe - after all, she didn't even _come from_ this era, he wouldn't be able to do anything to her with just her name - would he? In either case, it was too late now.  
"And your friends?"  
"You have my name, that's all you're gonna get," answered Kagome, as courteously as she could manage, "what are you?" Okay maybe _that_ wasn't the most polite way to phrase that question. They seemed as if they were not going to give it, but they saw Kagome had been more than fair giving them hers so they answered:  
"The warriors of Glisnia," the leader say, giing her a short, curt bow, making Kagome have to gnaw on her lower lip to silence her giggles. "You are approaching our home strangers; who is your leader here?" the man asked.  
"I am," replied Inuyasha boldly (the complete opposite to how his body felt - and _looked_ ), Kagome felt sure he would have collapsed had she not been supporting him, holding him up with one hand and held Tetsusaiga, (which he had dropped earlier on) in her other, all the while eyeing the young man suspiciously. He was too polite, too _normal_ looking. He seemed to keep glancing down at her as he spoke to Inuyasha.  
"Then I shall ask you, what is your purpose?"  
"We're being followed. We came to seek help from the Glisniai," replied Inuyasha, feeling a warning tug on his arm from Kagome, signalling that he should mind his temper. Not that he listened.  
"It looks as if you need it," said the warrior just a little _less_ polite than it should have been when speaking to Inuyasha and his fiery temper, but looking into Kagome’s eyes as he said it, studying her carefully, strange eyes glancing over her figure more than just once or twice. His biggest mistake, was letting Inuyasha catch his wandering eyes falling over the priestess' form - it infuriated him. He ripped himself free of Kagome’s grip and darted straight for the man.  
  
"Maybe I shouldn’t ask for help from you! We don't need another lecherous _creep_!’ Kagome stood in his path.  
"Stop, it’s all right he wasn’t being that way," Kagome tried to convince him, "or maybe it wasn’t about that at all." Inuyasha looked at her; he knew she had guessed what he was angry about, and he flushed in embarrassment, stopping in his tracks. If he didn't calm down, he might reveal something - or _things_ that weren't intended for Kagome's ears. Having his anger pass he felt pain again, reluctantly leaning on Kagome to support him once more. Tetsusaiga, which was still held loosely in Kagome’s hand, caught the man’s eye.  
"Should a small girl like you really be carrying a thing like that around with you? Do you even know what that thing could do?" He asked her kindly. Knowing the way in which he'd _meant_ it, Kagome tried not to be offended.  
"Well yes I do know what it can do; technically I’m the one who found it, but it isn’t mine anyway, it’s Inu – his," she replied hastily, nearly forgetting not to give Inuyasha’s name away.  
"Well, we are just returning to Glisnia; if you wish to seek help from our queen you may accompany us. If, as your friend says you are being followed, we would be happy to protect you, Miss Higurashi," said the man friendlily, this man enraged Inuyasha.  
"You _can_ talk to someone else besides her you know," he snapped.  
"Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t know you’d already spoken for her," said the man apologetically. Inuyasha blushed darkly, his crimson complexion rivalled only by Kagome, as Shippo refrained from giggling on her shoulder.  
"I…I haven’t…I mean, that is to say…she’s not…oh shut up already you’re pissing me off!" Inuyasha said in confusion.  
"Oh, but I was under the impression you two were together," the man continued, his skin was quite pale, differenting from Inuyasha's which had a sun-touched tint to it, he smiled as he spoke, knowing exactly that his smugness was pissing Inuyasha off even more.  
  
Whether he was sincerely ignorant to what he was asking, or whether he was just trying to make Inuyasha look stupid in front of Kagome, the others weren’t sure. However, Inuyasha knew it was the latter, and this made him angrier and angrier.  
" _I_ think that’s none of your business," replied Inuyasha in a false politeness.  
"You speak as if I am your enemy; I asked only a simple question, of which the answer _does_ affect me, sir." The warrior moved forwards, Inuyasha's body tensing, readying to leap at this _creature_ and rip out its overly confident tongue. But just then, Inuyasha felt a small, familiar pulse reverberate through his veins, and he tilted his head to gaze upon the sky; and the sun’s silhouette could be seen through the dark veil. Inuyasha’s hair faded into its usual silvery silk, his dog ears had reappeared and his eyes turned golden once more. "What are you?" The man asked in awe, taking many steps backwards in an unconcious response to Inuyasha's transformation.  
"I’m _complicated_ ," he shot back. Inuyasha swiped his sword from Kagome's grip, the transformed blade glimmering brilliantly as he gripped it loosely at his side; but the man was not intimidated by it, _foolishly_ , on the contrary he found it very amusing at the thought that Inuyasha assumed he could beat him, even with the large blade in his grasp.  
"Please, stop making a scene and come away," Kagome whispered to Inuyasha, but he ignored her.  
  
"Do you still want an answer?" Inuyasha asked cockily, the confidence surging through his blood at the feel of his father's sword in his hands again.  
"Yes." Inuyasha smiled at his answer. Raising his sword, he paused mid-swing as Kagome subtlety put her hand over his and held his arm down. Shippo smirked; he knew this man would not like Kagome showing Inuyasha affection very much - _no_ humans readily accepted demons harbouring affections for humans, or vice versa. However, if he _was_ opposed to it, he never let it slip. "I’m so sorry, where are my manners? My name is Lieutenant Kazama," seemed to be talking to Kagome more than Inuyasha still. Sango and Miroku came closer to Inuyasha, prepared in casehe tried to hit Kazama, which they could see he was close to doing.  
"So Miss Higurashi, do you still need us to accompany you?" Kazama asked.  
"Umm, I think that wouldn’t be my decision," Kagome replied safely, so as not to enrage the half-demon by her side, but _also_ so that Inuyasha could feel like she wasn’t going along with Kazama trying to make him look stupid.  
"I don’t think we _need_ your protection, but perhaps _you_ need ours," said Inuyasha, uplifted slightly that Kagome wasn’t showing anything more than casual politeness to the overly friendly stranger. _One pervert in our group is **quite** enough,_ Inuyahsa mentally growled, but having a feeling he _wouldn't_ warm up to this lecher, unlike he had to Miroku.  
"Not really, but I won’t deprive your party of our company because you are somewhat...hotheaded," said Kazama, turning to rally up his men; Inuyasha went to raise his sword arm but Kagome stopped him, shaking her head slowly at him. it wouldn't do to fight with warriors from the place they required help from. "Well my men are ready, shall we go?"  
  
They walked before the soldiers with Kazama, (which didn’t please Inuyasha) but he mostly talked to Kagome and when he didn’t he only spoke to his men.  
"Inuyasha, you needn’t have been that way, he was only being polite to me," Kagome whispered to Inuyasha when she was sure Kazama wasn't listening.  
"He was being a bit more polite," argued Inuyasha quietly, "he was flirting with you!"  
"Perhaps, but I wasn’t flirting back."  
"He was doing it enough for the both of you!"  
"Inuyasha," she sighed, rolling her eyes at his jealousy, "you worry too much." Taking his hand as they walked, in an act to reassure him, she smiled brightly at him, _almost_ finding it sweet that he was jealous over such a stupid thing. This at least seemed to silence him on the subject of Lieutenant Kazama; but seeing this, the Lieutenant's mouth arced in a very 'Miroku-like' smirk, as he turned his attention to the two in another attemptto show Inuyasha up.  
  
"How long have you two known each other?" he asked.  
"Over three years, why?" replied Inuyasha.  
"Well you’ve been together for a long time then. I can't imagine _nothing_ would've happened in that large amount of time." Shippo, seeing (even in his youth) that Kazama was on his quest to make Inuyasha look a fool, decided to do what he did best – annoy him. It was true enough Shippo spent nearly every waking moment making Inuyasha look dumb, or irritating him, but on the whole he looked up to Inuyasha, and he wasn’t about to let someone _else_ take his role of making the volatile hanyou look stupid. He jumped off Kagome’s shoulder and onto Inuyasha’s.  
"So, how long have you been in the army for?" Shippo asked in an innocent voice.  
"It’s not really the army it’s the-"  
"-Really that’s fascinating, how many people have you killed with your sword?"  
"Well I-"  
"-Cool, we've killed lots of things, do you have to walk everywhere? I don’t I get carried most of the time…"  
  
Shippo went on like this for a while, until Kazama retreated to one of his men at the side and began to talk to him. Inuyasha and Shippo secretly relished in the kitsune’s triumph.  
"Honestly, you two are really banding against that man, you’re just as bad as each other," said Kagome, though she smiled as she spoke, Shippo always managed to make her laugh when he was being devious - well he was a fox demon after all, and if he wasn't using his cuteness and tears to blackmail her into giving him sweets, he was usually scheming for something else.  
  
That night they all stopped together (some of them more reluctant than others). The Glisniai soldiers built a fire, though the men spread round the perimeters (much like the soldiers of Spearaah did), so that the only ones round the fire were Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Kilala, Shippo, Kazama and his second in command whose name was Hiroshi. Inuyasha set on his guard up to this man until he realized that Hiroshi had his eye on Sango, which secretly infuriated Miroku but allowed Inuyasha to relax a little - even make jibes under his breath at his friend's misfortune at having _'his girl'_ wooed by some stranger. Sango fell asleep next to Kagome and Shippo, with Kilala curled up next to her, Miroku slept beside them. Inuyasha sat up from his loyal place beside the young priestess, tirelessly gazing into the fire, until Kazama spoke.  
"Have you told her how you feel?" His voice was sincere and kind, he seemed to be talking to Inuyasha seriously.  
"What?"  
"Have you told her?"  
"Mind your business and keep them wandering eyes off her," growled Inuyasha, but the man continued, not to be disuaded.  
"There is a bit more than friendship hidden behind your eyes, I can see it when you look at her."  
"I don’t know what you’re talking about. I…it’s complicated, things between me and Kagome aren't as simple as it seems..."  
"She seems to return the same sort of friendly affection towards you...but you’ll lose her." Inuyasha looked up at him. "You’ll lose her to someone else if you don’t tell her."  
"You'll lose those _teeth_ if you don't shut up," he growled,glaning thoughtfully at the fire a moment before allowing his eyes to flicker back over to Kazama. "I suppose you think this someone else is you do you?"  
"Yes."  
"I’ve had to deal with _idiots_ like you before, who think they can beat me, in _more_ ways than one," said Inuyasha, remembering then, Kouga, the wolf tribe leader, who'd disapeared not long after Naraku had been defeated, _probably_ trying to hang onto his jewel shards a little longer. "You don’t even know her; you don’t even know where she’s really from, or who she is."  
"You don’t always have to know someone before you fall in love with them."  
"Give me a break, that _'love at first sight'_ rubbish is just a loada crap. _Besides_ , I wouldn’t _ever_ let a whelp like _you_ take her," said Inuyasha calmly.  
"If the day ever comes, where I want to ask her; you will have to fight me to stop me."  
"Then I will," Inuyasha replied simply, "but if you value having all your limbs, I’d stay away from Kagome, because if you don’t, I’ll cut your fucking head off." And after that they said no more, merely sitting there in silence all night, staring daggers at each other across the fire.  
  
Eventually Inuyasha grew tired of Kazama’s face, propped himself up against beside Kagome, and reluctantly falling asleep. Awaking suddenly not long after, he was sure it was still night, or at the most early morning. He sat up, looking for Kazama, but he wasn’t anywhere to be seen, he put his hand down beside him, and jumped, a light, awkward flush to his cheeks - about to apologize for touching Kagome when she was asleep, only then he realized, Kagome was gone as well. Inuyasha shot up, Tetsusaiga in his hand and into the dead forest beside the road; he stopped as he entered the trees, sniffing the air cautiously, he could sense Kagome was nearby. Darting off in the direction of her scent, he felt the air whip his hair off hid back as he leapt through the treetops, until he found her leaning against a tree she seemed to be alone. That was, until the half-demon saw Kazama at her side, talking to her. Of course Inuyasha didn’t see this as innocent as it could have been, he saw it as Kazama trying to flirt with Kagome out of Inuyasha’s view.  
  
The half-demon marched angrily out into the open, and Kazama smiled in satisfaction as he saw Inuyasha’s temper had near reached its limit.  
“Inuyasha,” said Kagome, she ran over to him with confused eyes, stopping in front of him, “Inuyasha, are you okay? What’s the matter?” she asked, catching his eyes with a heartbreakingly sweet stare as he gazed down at her. _She hadn’t known_ , Inuyasha reminded himself, trying to keep his temper under control.  
“Come on Kagome, let’s go,” he said to her in and undertone, glaring angrily at Kazama.  
“Okay,” agreed Kagome, no argumentativeness or suspiciousness in her voice, taking his arm and turning to walk away. The priestess would normally have shouted at him for being so chauvinistic and controlling, and would’ve simply ignored him (followed by a sharp _'sit'_ ); but she could see that for one: Inuyasha had dropped his temper for her sake, and two: Kazama had tricked her into testing Inuyasha’s patience, and she didn’t want to make him look stupid – but Kazama did.  
“You don’t have to listen to him Miss Higurashi,” said Kazama bluntly. The half-demon spun round in anger.  
“SHUT YOUR MOUTH, YOU INTERFERING PIECE OF SHIT!” yelled Inuyasha, fuming, Kazama grinned in triumph, causing Inuyasha’s temper to sky-rocket.  
“Are you so sure you’ll be okay when he’s like this Miss. Higurashi?”  
“I’m okay,” she answered quickly, “Inuyasha wouldn’t hurt me.”  
“I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you,” he replied plainly. Inuyasha made to advance on him, but Kagome blocked his path.  
“Inuyasha stop, please!” she pleaded.  
“Out of my way Kagome,” he ordered still in an undertone, but the girl stood firm, clinging to his arms and stared him in the eyes, determined not to let him move. “Kagome move, or I’ll _make_ you.” Kagome stared up at him, knowing his threat was empty as he stared dead ahead at the beaming soldier, avoiding his traitorous eyes which were slowly turning red.  
“ _Please_ Inuyasha, be the better person, ignore him,” the half-demon tried to release himself from her grip, but he couldn’t.  
“I can’t Kagome.” He answered simply. She didn’t understand, but then how could she? How could a _human_ girl know about the demon society’s views on honour and _claims_?  
“Please,” she begged him quietly, “Please Inuyasha, do this for me,” Inuyasha tried to free himself again, but she wouldn’t let go.  
“Don’t ask me to do that Kagome; he’s doing this just to piss me off!”  
“I know he is, but please, don’t rise to it; if I’d realized what he was doing I never would have come here with him,” Inuyasha looked away from her pleading eyes. “I would do anything for you, please do this one thing for me,” the half-demon glanced down at her; all he could see was her hazel eyes, pleading him not to move any further.  
“I can’t Kagome, I would do anything if you asked me, but I cant now,” she released her hold slightly, and he yanked his arms out of her grip and flew towards Kazama.  
  
He threw everything he had at Kazama, who hadn't expected him to ignore Kagome, he had made the mistake in thinking Inuyasha was a housebroken dog, completely under Kagome’s control.  
"Inuyasha stop!" yelled Kagome, she knew Inuyasha was completely out of control, he slashed at Kazama with his claws, Tetsusaiga laying forgotten on the forest floor. She knew if Inuyasha caught him, he would kill him. "INUYASHA!" She yelled, but he ignored her. Inuyasha caught Kazama, he pinned him to a tree with Tetsusaiga through his shirt, and kicked him in the stomach.  
"I TOLD YOU!" Inuyasha yelled, "I TOLD YOU I’D **KILL** YOU!"  
"INUYASHA, NO!" yelled Kagome, she raised her bow that until now had hung over her shoulder, and shot an arrow at Inuyasha, it skimmed his hair and he turned to face her.  
"Kagome?" he said, Kagome ran towards him. Inuyasha ignored her and started thrashing violently at Kazama once more. Kagome grabbed his arm.  
"Inuyasha stop!" He ignored her still.  
"INUYASHA… **SIT**!" The half-demon's necklace glowed brightly and Inuyasha pounded to the ground. The pink light fading, Inuyasha recovered himself, rubbing his abused head.  
"Kagome stop interfering!" He yelled at her, Kagome stood beside him, holding her bow angrily in her hand. Kagome couldn't help but see that as well as his hatred for Kazama, Inuyasha was most probably unleashing some pent up anger from the _Kouga situation_ , and she felt guilty for it. She held out her other hand to help him up, he took it, but instead of pulling himself up, he pulled her down onto the ground with him, and hugged her tight. "I’m sorry," he said quietly in her ear.  
"For what?" She asked, her temper melting away as he held her.  
"This," he said, and threw her aside. He threw himself back into the battle against Kazama.  
"SIT! SIT!" She yelled desperately, but he just leapt straight back up after each collision with the ground. She ran towards Inuyasha, and grabbed his arm again.  
"Kagome, get off!" He yelled angrily, his patience with her wearing thin. Kagome had only one choice; she threw her arms round Inuyasha’s shoulder, wrenching him away from the human with all her strength, pulling his body round to face her. Inuyasha shut his eyes tight, waiting for her to slap him, but she didn’t. She kissed him. Inuyasha’s eyes widened in shock, but then he closed his eyes, kissing her back. Kagome held onto his kimono, in case he should try to turn back round to finish with Kazama, but he didn’t, he seemed to forget all about the human - all about _everything_ , his temper subsided. Kagome opened her eyes, to find he was kissing her back, her face flushing, and pulled away slowly.  
  
Releasing her hold of his kimono, she met Inuyasha's eyes as he stood gazing at her in awe for a moment, before his face turned as red as hers. Kagome dashed over to Kazama, pulling out Tetsusaiga from his shirt sleeve, and he fell to the floor. She held Tetsusaiga in her hand, and it transformed back into its archaic form, as she passed it back to Inuyasha.  
"I’m sorry," she muttered to Kazama. Inuyasha had not hit him badly, well, not _considering_ anyway. He stumbled to his feet unsteadily; Kagome took Inuyasha’s arm roughly and dragged him away from the man as he made his own, slow way back to camp.  
  
"What did you do that for?" Inuyasha asked quietly as Kazama disappeared from view and they entered the camp area, everyone still asleep.  
"He was _trying_ to make you angry Inuyasha, why couldn’t you have just come away?" she asked stiffly.  
"Because he was only doing it because he thought you could tell me to stop and I would _listen,_ and I didn’t mean that anyway…" he raised his free arm, tracing over his lips where hers had been moments before. "Why did you kiss me…?" She fought blushing as she answered him.  
"There are only two ways I’ve ever got you to listen to me, and that was the one of them," she replied simply, still a little angry with him. Then she remembered something, and turned to face him. "Why did you kiss me back?" She asked curiously, Inuyasha went nearly as red as his kimono, he didn’t look at her. "Inuyasha, why can’t you answer the question?" Inuyasha ignored her, and went and sat back down where he had fallen asleep, Kagome following and sitting beside him. The half-demon still didn’t reply, he didn’t look at her either, but she saw his face was very red with embarrassment. "Inuyasha, tell me," she demanded, but he looked at her, his face showing no sign of embarrassment now, held her hand, but did not reply.  
  
  
  
TBC


	8. Intimacy; The Glistening City

**Intimacy; The Glistening City**  
-Eight-  
  
  
The next morning was just as dark and lifeless as the previous mornings, although, the atmosphere seemed heavier due to the secret feud between Inuyasha and Lieutenant Kazama. Kagome was oblivious to what Kazama felt for her; she thought he was just trying to annoy Inuyasha, who had always acted jealous whenever she gave _any_ other man attention besides him, in this era it was perfectly common (and to her annoyance - _acceptable_ ) for humans to behave this way and _worse_ to half-demons like Inuyasha. Inuyasha made sure he stayed close to her at all times, so that Kazama could not get too close; Kagome tried to be fair to both of them but didn’t succeed very well. Kazama did not mention the night before, and nor did Inuyasha, so no one else was aware of what had happened. The tension was no less between Miroku and Hiroshi, although Hiroshi was a little more discreet about his feelings and Sango showed no signs of the feelings she felt towards Miroku. The kitsune had taken an ultimate disliking towards Lieutenant Kazama; seeing the half-demon and the human priestess as he parent fogures, Shippo thought of Kazama as the _‘home-wrecker’_ in this scenario; for some reason (even though he’d had _more_ than his fair share of smacks upside the head from the half-demon) he couldn’t see Kagome with anyone but Inuyasha. It was this little revelation that spurred him to set about everything he could do to keep Kazama out of the way. Kazama’s men however, tried their best to do as Shippo was doing for Inuyasha; a man pulled Inuyasha aside and engaged him in a conversation about sword techniques, though Shippo sat on Kagome’s shoulder, a faithful guard for whenever Kazama came near.  
  
“Kagome?” asked Shippo innocently.  
“Yes.”  
“Can I ask you something?”  
“What is it?”  
“Well it’s kind of personal.”  
“Go on,’ said Kagome hesitantly, Inuyasha came up next to her again, having managed to escape the talkative soldier.  
“What do you-“ he cut off as Kagome stopped dead in her tracks, her body swaying, eyes rolling back in her head as she collapsed, two arms seizing her before she hit the ground. “Kagome!” Shippo cried out as the half-demon staring down into her unconscious face with anxiety and confusion.  
“Sango, Miroku come here!” He called to the others, cradling her head in his arms as Shippo leapt to his shoulder looking frightened.  
“What’s the matter? What’s wrong with her?” Sango asked.  
“She just collapsed,” explained Inuyasha; then Kazama appeared from the back of the troops.  
“What’s wrong is she alright? What can I do for her?” Inuyasha lifted Kagome up into his arms and then replied harshly, “Get out of my way, Jackass! I’ve been protecting her since the day she came here; I don’t need your help now!” He growled, pushing past him and Miroku, Sango and Kilala followed. The others didn’t know where Inuyasha was leading them, but feared his temper too much to ask right now, he was fuming. Though in what he said, he remembered the first day he met Kagome, and he certainly _hadn’t_ protected her then at all, though of course the others didn’t know that.  
  
Inuyasha lead them onward for what seemed like forever, the sunless day still burning unbearable heat upon them. Trudging resentfully (but silently) after their half-demon companion, they arrived at a part of the forest where there was lush grass and leaves on the trees rich in colour, they had reached the borders of Glisnia. There still was no sunlight shining through the veil of darkness, but there seemed to be another light source nearby, radiance appearing to rival that of the sun. Wincing as his golden gaze met the dazzling light, Inuyasha saw the source – a vast, ethereal crystal resting atop the soaring tower within the city walls. The city lay not far off from where they stopped. Inuyasha stopped them by the edge of a small stream, the water running crystal clear – the first clean waters they’d seen since the Finclarus. Resting Kagome down beside the stream, Inuyasha was unknowingly closely watched by the others, who took a seat beside the river also, desperate for pure, cool water they cupped the water in their hands and drank some before they even attempted to speak. Inuyasha however did not drink; he filled his water flask in the stream and returned to his most precious companion’s side. He splashed some of the cool water over her face and she awoke; he smiled kindly at her (most un-Inuyasha-like), and gave her the skin to drink from before he asked her to speak. Trying hard at being ‘nice’, not liking the idea that she might begin to favour the courteous Kazama, Inuyasha offered her more water, which she declined. “Are you okay?” He asked her.  
“I don’t know, I can’t remember much…all I remember was walking with you and Shippo, then feeling sort of dizzy… I think I saw something, an image in my head…and I just couldn’t keep my balance,” Kagome explained hazily. “Where are we? Why aren’t we with the others?”  
“Well…” Inuyasha didn’t finish his reply, looking away slightly, only just realising how much he’d overreacted.  
“I’ll explain that,” piped up Sango, making the half-demon swallow hard. “When you passed out Inuyasha decided it would be best if we left that party, we’ll get to Glisnia after them. It’s a shame you guys were so rude to them, I thought they were really nice,” Sango added to Inuyasha and Miroku, as the half-demon released a breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding.  
“No, I’m _inclined_ to agree with Inuyasha – those mean are far too nice, I don’t trust them,” said Miroku.  
“Of course you don’t! You’re men, you hate accepting help from other people!”  
“That wasn’t why we didn’t like them!” Miroku argued.  
  
“Well I for one am glad to be rid of them,” continued Shippo, “one _lecher_ in our group is quite enough.” Inuyasha’s mouth crept into a smile, he knew _one day_ something he said would rub off onto the kitsune, he almost felt proud.  
“Was that aimed at me?”  
“No, it was aimed at Kilala,” retorted the Kitsune sarcastically. _Yep,_ Inuyasha thought pompously, _definitely gets that from me_ …  
“We should get moving, I don’t want to spend another night out here,” said Inuyasha, surprisingly _breaking up_ the immature squabbling instead of causing it…for once. The half-demon was _sure_ Kagome would be pleased with this sudden spout of emotional maturity. “Kagome, are you okay to walk?”  
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she replied getting to her feet, raising a brow at Inuyasha’s _niceness_ , which went unnoticed as Shippo rushed over to her.  
“Are you okay now Kagome?” He asked anxiously.  
“I’m fine, but I’m beginning to feel really bad about these _fits_ I keep having; is it something to do with that thing is saw?” Kagome asked; Inuyasha looked into her eyes, knowing he shouldn’t tell her anything, but knowing he couldn’t keep anything from her for much longer. Over the few years they’d travelled together, it was getting harder and harder to keep secrets from her – and it was almost impossible to lie. Those eyes, which he’d come to realise he adored so much, could see _anything_ – there was no hiding anything from those eyes.  
“Let’s go,” said the half-demon simply. Inuyasha and Kagome walked in front, with Shippo on Kagome’s shoulder; Miroku, Sango and Kilala dropped behind slightly.  
“Inuyasha, I know you’re hiding something from me, please, tell me what it is,” said Kagome; Inuyasha looked away from her, but did not reply. “Inuyasha, what, is it that you can’t trust me?”  
“No, it’s…it’s difficult.”  
“I need to know.” Inuyasha made no immediate reaction, he just gazed at the ground as he walked along; and then he spoke.  
“Shippo, go see what Sango and Miroku are doing for a minute.”  
“Why?”  
“Because I told you to.”  
“Why?”  
“Just go, for God's sake!” Shippo hopped off Kagome’s shoulder and scampered off back towards Sango and Miroku, fearing Inuyasha’s temper.  
  
“Please, try to understand…you know I’d never hide anything from you if I didn’t need to,” he spoke as if it were painful for him to speak. His voice laden with emotions, so very unlike the coarse, gruff Inuyasha she was used to. There was something wrong.  
“You hide a lot from me don’t you?”  
“What?” he practically exclaimed, some of the _‘old Inuyasha’_ rising in his voice. “I have never opened up to anyone as much as I have to you, I spend nearly every minute of each day with you, you know everything that I have hidden from everybody else.”  
“That may be true…but there are still so many things you don’t tell me.”  
“Like what?” he asked defensively, finding her highly ungrateful for all the times he’d opened up to her and no one else.  
“Like how you feel, like what you’re thinking, like why whenever I try to get close to you, you either push me away or get all defensive!?”  
“I’m not defensive!” he snapped, making her jump, “and don’t be so stupid! You know I don’t talk about things like that!”  
“Well maybe sometime soon you should!”  
  
Kagome had stopped walking now and had turned to face him, her voice growing louder and louder. “Like last night, what was that all about? I try so hard to get closer to you, to get inside that _thick_ head of yours and see what you’re thinking, but whenever I do, you just turn on me!” she shouted, Inuyasha blushing slightly as the others stopped too, obviously watching and listening to them carefully. “Are you sure your not part cat demon? I thought that they were the selfish, obnoxious and fickle ones!” Inuyasha stared at her, not sure whether to be angry with her or confused.  
“I have no idea where half those words came from, but can we lay off the demon stuff please!” Kagome balled her fists at her sides angrily, trying to control her temper.  
“Fine! It’s not as if you actually care what I think anyway is it?! I’m just some tool that you can use to get what you want! A _jewel detector_ right?! If the only reason you need me is to find the jewel shards then maybe I shouldn’t come back any more!”  
“Maybe you shouldn’t! I don’t need a stupid little girl telling me how to think and feel! So if all you’re gonna do is that then maybe you _should_ go home!”  
‘Fine!’ She turned and flounced into the forest, her eyes filled with tears of anger. Inuyasha stood still, fuming from the argument; but immediately feeling the anger smothered by the swiftly spreading guilt.  
  
The others stood in silence, stunned by the argument. Then after a little time Sango decided to break the silence.  
“Inuyasha, you can’t leave her like this, who knows what’s in that forest.” Inuyasha said nothing at first, but then…  
“I’ll be back soon, you guys wait here, rest for a bit but keep an eye out; if Kazama and the other crew-cuts come by, let them go their own way.” With that, the others watched him as he disappeared into the forest.  
  
“What’s come over him?” asked the monk, staring in the direction his half-demon friend had gone.  
“It’s that time of the month,” replied Sango with an embarrassed giggle, noting the smirk on Miroku’s face, the monk being the only one who realised the double-meaning.  
“Actually he’s nicer when it’s that time of the month, he’s this grumpy the rest of the time,” argued Shippo.  
“Well I don’t care,” said Sango resolutely, “he’s just going to go and grovel and Kagome will forgive him, it’s the same every time.” Then she lay back in the grass, with Miroku and Shippo staring at her confusedly. Shippo jumped up into a nearby tree.  
“Shippo, what are you doing?” Miroku asked.  
“I’m gonna be look out for when that idiot Kazama and the others come by,” he shouted back to Miroku as he climbed higher and higher, Kilala laying down beside Sango, and drifting into a light doze, ears still perk and alert, leaving Sango and Miroku _alone.  
  
_ “Sango?” Miroku asked innocently – the fake innocence _never_ a good sign.  
“Yes?” she replied, opening one eye suspiciously.  
“If I ask you something will you answer me truthfully?”  
“That depends…what’s the question?”  
“What do you think about Sergeant Hiroshi?” he asked quietly. Sango sat bolt upright.  
“What do you mean?”  
“Well all yesterday he was chasing around after you,” he replied, “what do you think of him?” Sango went a little red; she thought this a very odd question for him to ask.  
“Well,” she responded at last, “he’s a good fighter, and I suppose he’s a good person.”  
“But?” Miroku asked hopefully.  
“No _‘buts_ ’, he’s an alright person,” Miroku seemed a little dispirited.  
“Well I guess there is a _‘but’_ ,” said Sango, her feminine mind supplying _why_ Miroku might’ve asked such a thing. Miroku looked up at her.  
“He’s not the kind of person who I’d have _those_ kinds of feelings for.”  
“What type of person would you?” Miroku asked sneakily.  
“No idea, I’ll let you know when I do,” replied Sango with a flushed smile. They sat there in silence for a while, until Sango spoke. “What’s your kind of person?”  
“If you’re not aware by now without my telling you, I’m afraid I can’t,” replied Miroku, Sango looked at him funnily. He moved his hand over hers. She looked up, slightly embarrassed. Then Shippo tumbled out of the tree onto Kilala, and the squeal Kilala sent out caused Miroku and Sango to leap right out of their intimate moment.  


* * *

It was as dark inside as if they were back in Spearaah again.  
“Kagome!” called Inuyasha, but he heard no reply, “Kagome! Kagome if you can hear me please answer!” He walked into a clearing, though the branches of the trees blocked out all light, giving it the appearance of a cave, the only illumination being the trickle of light from the crystal in Glisnia that peaked through the branches. Kagome sat on the ground with her face in her hands, tears trickling through her fingers and onto the ground. Inuyasha gnawed his lip – he’d done this to her? Did his words really cut that deep?  
“Can’t you leave me alone, haven’t you said enough?” she whimpered as he drew near her, and stopped at her side at the injury sounding in her voice.  
“I can’t leave you out here all alone,” Inuyasha replied kindly (un-Inuyasha-like) to her, truly sorry for what he had said.  
“Why do you care where I am?”  
“Because I care about you…”  
“All you care about is your precious Shikon jewel, that’s all!” He frowned, slightly hurt by the echoing of his unmeant words.  
“That’s not all…please,” he put his hand on her shoulder, “listen to me.” She pushed him away and turning to run again, but he caught her by the arms. “No! You’re gonna hear what I have to say!”  
“No I don’t care, I don’t care any more just let me go.”  
“You wanted to know what I feel, well here it is; I wanted the Shikon-no-Tama _yes_ , I wanted it to become a full demon and to never be weak again, but not any more.”  
“Its lies, more lies to get me to stay-“  
“-No, it’s not, I thought having emotions was weak, I saw all those people around me that felt what I never had and I laughed at them, I showed affection to Kikyo-“  
“-Yes Kikyo, _Kikyo_ , the amazing Kikyo! You were only too happy to become _human_ for her but you don't even contemplate making such a sacrifice for me, do you?!” Inuyasha’s ears wilted slightly at her words.  
“-I opened my heart to her and she shot an arrow through it, sealing me for fifty years, that’s what I got for allowing myself to feel the things you keep telling me about. But, then I met you…” Kagome’s eyes lightened slightly, her heart daring to hope. Was he going to say what she thought he was? “You showed me that friendship, that isn't weak at all, that is something that makes people _stronger_. I don’t need you because of the Shikon-no-Tama, I need you because I care about you, because you care about me; you and the others are the only things I have that’s worth fighting for anymore.” Kagome’s tears escaped from her hazel eyes as she looked into Inuyasha’s golden ones, listening to his words. “Everything I’ve ever loved, anything that’s ever loved me, they’re all gone – my father, my mother, Kikyo…and who’s to say that if I allow myself to love something again that they won’t wither and die as well?” His voice was husky, and quiet, his eyes watering as he watched her.  
“But that’s not…you can’t just-“  
“But despite all those years trying to not let anyone in, I find that you, Shippo, Miroku, Sango, Kilala…I find that your with me anyway, and without realising, I’ve got more people that care about me at my side than ever before…but that makes me want to keep you all out all the more, in case you…because I don’t want to lose something I love again.  
  
“But you make me realise, that I’m really crap at keeping my feelings locked up, otherwise how would you have gotten so close?” A moments silence followed, allowing Kagome to find her voice before speaking. It hadn’t been what her heart was hoping for, she thought, but still…  
“I wish I could believe you – I _want_ to believe you.” Inuyasha leaned forward, and daringly stroked away her tears with the back of his clawed fingertips.  
“I can’t tell you everything that I think and feel now; but I will, someday, I need to know you will wait for that day to come.”  
“I will…I feel like a part of me is always waiting for you to say the things you can’t seem to say; but another part of me...can't wait around for you forever, Inuyasha.” She smiled at him. No more was said, as they turned, heading back the way they’d come.  
  
After rejoining the others, they started off again, determined not to spend another night outside Glisnia’s walls. Sango had said that Kazama and the others had passed by, but that Miroku had tricked her into hiding whilst they went past so that they had no idea they were there.  
“They’re really terrible, both of them,” said Sango referring to Shippo and Miroku, “Shippo hid in the bushes and Miroku said he was injured, while I looked for him (which took a long enough time), the soldiers passed us by.”  
“Why couldn’t you find Shippo?”  
“Well he’d transformed into a twig, I only found him when I knelt on him and he let out this squeal. _Idiots,_ they scared the hell out of me, I jumped so high I whacked my head on one of those branches when he transformed back.” Kagome giggled silently at this, the boys in their odd little family always proved for amusement when they were being sneaky.  
“Well I knew if they saw us they’d never leave us alone, and I knew you’d never hide if I told you to so I _had_ to lie!” exclaimed Miroku. Sango sighed in disbelief, but made no other response to him.  
“Yeah, but it was funny when Miroku tried to resuscitate you,” giggled Shippo, half under his breath. Inuyasha and Kagome looked at the monk with funny faces.  
“And how on earth did you think you’d get away with that?” asked Inuyasha, eyes narrowed. Miroku smiled cheekily.  
“I knew I wouldn’t but still, can you blame me for trying?” Sango rolled her eyes at the _so-called_ monk, though Kagome thought she could see a smile twitching at the sides of her mouth.  
  
All that was said between Inuyasha and Kagome seemed to have been forgotten, although this happened all the time. When Inuyasha ever said anything nasty, did anything terrible or said something that was so mushy that he’d regret it he pretended it never happened and returned to how he was before, but Kagome was used to this by now, and had not attempted to carry on the conversation they’d had in the forest.  


***

It was over three hours of walking before they saw anything but trees and grass. They reached the great archaic doors of Glisnia city but they were sealed. The walls surrounding the city were ice white and stood towering above them, with the multihued light, which streamed from the giant crystal atop the tower pouring down upon them. It was unlike _anything_ in feudal Japan. Inuyasha banged hard on the door twice, no one replied, he knocked hard again with his fists.  
“Hello! Is anybody up there?” No reply. Inuyasha sneered, banging again on the door, harder than ever. So that Sango and Kagome feared that it would fall down.  
“Someone is getting _whacked_ if they don’t OPEN THIS DOOR!” He called to the guard tower; a soldier came into view from his post at last, his eyes looking tired.  
“Who goes there?” he called down to them, Inuyasha looked to Kagome to give her name.  
“Kagome Higurashi, we have come to seek help from Glisnia,” the man made no reply, Kagome had an idea, “We met Lieutenant Kazama on the way here, he was escorting us but we – parted company unexpectedly.”  
The man disappeared; shortly after, the great doors swung open and they walked inside, eyes darting everywhere warily.  
  
Inside they could see the great tower in all its glory. Its stonework seemed concrete but they sparkled like gold dust, its windows seemed glass but they shimmered like crystal; then they saw it, atop the tower in the centre of the city, sat the great crystal, which seemed to be the light source for this glorious land. The tower was surrounded with countless huts, each built from the same stonework as the tower; and out of one of them, came Kazama. Still clad in his silvery armour he made his way toward them.  
“Miss Higurashi, I heard from the guard that you had arrived,” he made no contact with the others accept a polite smile at Sango, Inuyasha’s insides burned with anger. “I hope you are feeling better now, you collapsed and your friend took you away, I was deeply worried. I was just about to come looking for you but _My Lady_ bade me stay and wait for you to come of your own accord.”  
“Enough of your senseless yammering, I need to see the person in charge!” snapped Inuyasha suddenly.  
“You mean My Lady?” Kazama asked politely.  
“Whoever, as long as she’s the one in charge.”  
“I’m sorry, you can’t see her,” replied Kazama simply.  
“What?”  
“Whoever wishes to see My Lady must give their name and business, since you have given me neither you cannot see her.”  
“We’ve given you a name, we gave you mine,” said Kagome.  
“Yes Miss Higurashi, but your friend here is clearly the leader, he must state _his_ name to pass,” Inuyasha eyed him evilly. “It’s no use looking at me like that, even if I didn’t hate you I couldn’t let you pass, I’m only following orders.”  
“We need to see her,” growled through his teeth Inuyasha angrily.  
“Then give me your name!”  
  
“He doesn’t need to speak for me to know his name,” came a voice, a tall, beautiful lady, fair and silvery flowed over to them, her silver crown sparkling atop her golden haired head. She looked at Inuyasha, her startlingly blue eyes shimmering with the light, “you’re the son of Lord Inu-no-Taishou and Lady Izayoi,” Kagome’s eyes widened with horror. “You’re Izayoi’s half-demon son, Inuyasha.”  
“Inuyasha,” Kagome whispered, “how does she know your name?”  
“I don’t know I’ve never seen her before in my life-“  
“Well I like that, I have met you before Inuyasha,” her voice sounded smooth and calm.  
“That’s a lie; I’ve no memory of you at all,” replied Inuyasha rudely, crossing his arms over his chest.  
“Well you wouldn’t have, you were barely a year old when I saw you for the first and last time. I was a friend of your mother’s, she brought you to see me when you were a child, a while after you left my company your mother passed away, and you never really knew me so, I never saw you again…until now.”  
“You lie, she never told me about you,” argued Inuyasha rudely, but the Lady stayed calm, reminding him a little of Sesshomaru the way her voice never changed tone or volume.  
  
“Well I’ll prove it to you. I’ve never met your brother Sesshomaru what is he like? Izayoi said he was like your father mostly, you always resembled him as well though, that’s partly what made her adore you so, I think. Though your father tried his hardest, he never could make your brother love you as he was supposed to, he even broke his promise by not protecting you like your father asked of him before he died, it was Sesshomaru’s cold heart, which turned both your parents from him, and turned him from you. Though of course your father loved him all the same, your brother was incapable of sharing your father’s love for humans, which I see you’ve inherited.” She came towards him; Kagome gripped his arm and she held on tighter as she drew near. She stopped before Inuyasha and gazed at him in awe. You look exactly the same as when I last saw you; you were of course smaller but; you have the same eyes, same hair, same ears, and the same stubborn personality.” Inuyasha seemed to have started to believe her. “You must be Kagome Higurashi,” said the Lady now speaking to Kagome, “Kazama has told me of you, though I must say I’ve never heard of any of your family or of your scent, it is strange to me.” Kagome started.  
“Then are you…are you a demon too?” asked Kagome.  
“Heavens no, the technique of scent, it doesn’t just run through demon blood you know.” Inuyasha had a bad feeling about the Lady’s reaction to Kagome; her eyes seemed to be hiding something whenever she looked at her. “So I know you two, but I see many who I do not know.” The others looked to Inuyasha and he nodded lightly at them.  
“I’m Sango, this is Kilala and Shippo,” she replied.  
“And I’m Miroku.”  
  
The Lady bowed at them in turn, “The youkai exterminator, two demons and a monk,” she concluded as she scanned them over, one by one with her startlingly blue eyes, and then returned her sight to Inuyasha. “You see Kazama, you can get somewhere when you’re not rude, though even if he was polite Inuyasha, that look on your lady friend’s face tells me you still wouldn’t have told him your name.” Inuyasha still felt uneasy about her and Kagome, and he held onto her tight though no one else noticed his uneasiness. “You must rest tonight, my servant will show you to your quarters, I also think you need a bath and food before we talk more about what your purpose is, we shall talk later, rest assured you are perfectly safe while you here.” Inuyasha still looked worried and restless, the Lady took him aside and whispered in his ear, “I promise, she will come to no harm while she is here,” then she walked off into the tower. Her servant, an aged, gangly looking man, showed them each where they were to sleep, luckily all their rooms were close together, so Inuyasha could rest at ease knowing neither Kazama nor the Lady could get to Kagome without his hearing.  
  
  
  
  
TBC


	9. Enchanted Away

**Enchanted Away**  
-Nine-  
  
  
They were accommodated in one of the many large buildings of the city, (clearly a guest area). Most of the group fell asleep in their comfortable quarters, these rooms were restful and secure, each had a fire roaring in the hearth, were filled with pleasant furniture including a luxurious, soft bed draped in the finest of materials. Sango and Kilala fell asleep immediately in their room; Miroku literally just collapsed onto his bed and began to sleep soundly. Inuyasha had his own room and Kagome shared with Shippo, though Shippo was asleep almost immediately so Kagome might as well have been alone, the only proof that the kitsune was beside her, the quiet, whispers of his snores, and a small lump in the middle of the pillows. A while after the silence of slumber had fallen over Glisnia’s royal tower; Kagome lay awake restlessly beside Shippo who snored on, Kagome decided to make a visit to Inuyasha, (who she was sure would not be asleep either).  
  
As she left her room, she glanced swiftly down the dim corridor, spying Inuyasha’s door, only three doors away from her own. Creeping silently over to the door and knocking lightly, Kagome (predictably) heard that familiar voice through the door, “who is it?” The priestess opened the door slowly, poking her head round to find Inuyasha sitting on the end of the bed, gazing at the fire pensively.  
“Can I come in?” Inuyasha shrugged in reply, hearing Kagome’s soft footsteps on the wooden flooring, as she closed the door behind her. “I can’t sleep,” said Kagome, “but maybe you should. You haven’t had any rest since this all started. This is the safest we’ve been in a while.” Inuyasha snapped out of his pensiveness.  
“We’re not safe, as long as Sesshomaru and the others are out there we’re all in danger,” he snapped, his voice a little harsher than he’d intended. He couldn’t help it, that woman…she’d struck a nerve. Who did she think she was, talking about his mother like that? Talking about his mother always seemed to upset him, and in turn cause him to upset others. Kagome seemed a little hurt and dispirited.  
“I’m sorry… I’ll go. I was only trying to help you,” she turned away from him and went to head out the door, but Inuyasha wasn’t done. His temper seemed to be getting the better of him.  
“Well maybe you shouldn’t! You keep trying to understand how I feel but you’ll never know how it feels to be what I am. Maybe if you knew you wouldn’t be so quick to keep trying to _fix_ everything. You’ll never understand what it’s like to be hunted for being _different_ , to watch your mother die because you’re _different_ – you’ll never understand! If you did you’d be gone long ago! You're just a little girl, hovering round me, trying to understand what’s going on around her but you’ll _never_ begin to understand!” Inuyasha had turned so suddenly, Kagome was not expecting it, though this was the second argument she had had with Inuyasha today, so she was not about to back down without having her say.  
  
“Well maybe you should try being on the receiving end of it all. Try being _me_ for once; always trying to help you feel better about everything while you’re standing there shouting at me. Try having a conversation with someone and always left wondering afterwards if it was Inuyasha who said it, or something else. The only reason I will never understand you is because you never let me in, all you do is shut me out! You’re right; I will never understand you, and now I don’t want to!” Kagome darted out of the room, tears staining her face, and for the second time today, Inuyasha was the cause of them. Inuyasha looked up guiltily and then turned his face away from the door, tears welling up in his golden eyes.  


* * *

The next morning, Kagome sat at the end of her bed, Shippo had gone from their room early, she held her face in her hands as she recalled the half-demon’s outburst from the night before. A small knock sounded at the door and then Inuyasha came into the room.  
“Kagome…Kagome can I come in?” he asked her kindly, and Kagome, who, recognizing the guilt in his voice, knew he was coming to apologize again; her hand wiped at her eyes, red from tears and looked up from the edge of the bed.  
“Yes, if you want to,” she replied quietly. Shutting the door, the half-demon padded softly over to her side, stopping a few inches short of her, noting the way she wouldn’t meet his eyes.  
  
“Kagome, I’m…I’m truly sorry for what I said.” Kagome smiled falsely.  
“It’s ok, I know you didn’t mean-”  
“-No, it still doesn’t justify that I hurt you when you were trying to help me. I’m…I’m always doing that, aren’t I?” She didn’t answer him, but he knew his words were true. “You were right, I shut you out all the time when you’re trying to help me, it’s my own fault that you can’t understand; besides, you’ve been through more pain in the last couple of years than you should’ve had to, and most of that was all my fault. I’m…so sorry for everything I’ve done…” The fresh tears gave her skin an ethereal glow; she smiled at him, sincerely this time, and Inuyasha sat down at her side.  
“It’s not your fault; it wasn’t you it was-”  
“-No! It wasn’t, it was Inuyasha that said those things, it was me letting the monster inside take over; this is exactly I’ve been thinking about. The demon in me is getting harder and harder to suppress…lately, it seems that it has been getting stronger…if it gets out again, I don’t…I don’t think it will go back.” He turned his face away from her. Kagome patted him skittishly on his shoulder.  
  
“It’s okay we’ll find a way,” she assured him, the trembling fear of losing him evident in her voice.  
“Maybe you should just let the demon out of me – just purify me into oblivion or somethin’. I don't think that the Inuyasha you know is worth saving,” replied Inuyasha dimly, Kagome glared at him angrily.  
“I _do_. Don’t you ever let me hear you say that again! Or that there is no good in you because there is, you might not see it but _I_ can.” Inuyasha turned to face her, his face bearing an expression of distinct scepticism.  
“That’s because you don’t feel what I feel when the monster escapes,” he smiled at her, getting to his feet, heading towards the door. But then, he seemed to recall something and turned back to face Kagome, his hand on the door handle. “About the other thing you said; when you said that you never knew who it was speaking to you for sure. I can’t go through everything I’ve ever said to you and clarify it for you; but I can tell you how _Inuyasha_ feels…” She could’ve sworn if she had his ears they’d perk hopefully to hear the next words flowing from his mouth. I care about you more than anything. My life was dark; I grew up feeling no love or kindness, only the memory of my mother’s love to keep me warm at night… When I met you, you saved me from that life. I can _never_ give you something that wonderful.” Kagome looked like she was on the verge of tears again, although she replied hastily to his kind words.  
“You already have. I met you, and I may not have cared about you then as much as I do now, but you gave me this new life which I wouldn’t trade for the world. The only time I ever feel truly content, safe or at peace is when you’re with me. How can I ever repay _you_ for what you’ve given _me_?” Inuyasha smirked admiringly at her.  
“You can.” Kagome frowned perplexedly.  
“What’s that?” Inuyasha opened the door and answered.  
“Never leave me…” an embarrassed flush dusted his cheeks as he walked out of the door and closed it behind him, leaving Kagome alone and confused.  
  
Lingering only momentarily outside Kagome’s closed door, Inuyasha couldn’t believe what had just happened, he couldn’t understand, he had never felt that way before, never felt so…warm. It was as if his heart had completely ignored his mind, ignored his _personality_ even. His treacherous heart was beating so fast he felt it would burst out of his chest. Inuyasha took a moment to recover himself, to make the unnatural flush to his cheeks disappear, before a soldier rounded the corner, pausing to bow politely to him before speaking.  
“Excuse me sir,” he saluted him, making Inuyasha force back a snigger, “Lady Divinus wishes to see you sir.” Inuyasha nodded at him in comprehension, and the soldier strode away. The half-demon walked out of the hut, (though it was in Inuyasha’s opinion too grand to be a hut), and into the courtyard. There were many people going about their daily business, salesmen at their stalls selling a variety of things, from fish to silks. Inuyasha stopped one of the bustling people, “excuse me, where do I find Lady Divinus?” he asked the man, trying to remember what Kagome said about politeness getting you further than rudeness.  
“Sir, in the tower room, right at the top is her thrown room sir,” replied the man politely. Inuyasha nodded in thanks and headed towards the tower.  
  
The tower was indeed imposing, the tall, winding staircase seemed to go on forever; its brickwork seemed exactly the same as that on the outside, and there were hundreds of windows, each letting in masses of multihued light from the crystal. There were many doors leading off at every landing, though Inuyasha knew that the throne room would be the topmost one. He must climb the staircase to the top. _It’s always the bloody top ain’t it? **Always** the top,_ he growled mentally.  
  
Eventually, after what seemed like endless hours of ascending the staircase, he came to the end of it, a small, oak door stood lonely on the final landing which bore no windows, only two crystal lighted torches either side of the door. Inuyasha knocked on the little door and awaited a reply.  
“Come in,” it was the same smooth, calm and pensive voice from earlier, the voice of Lady Divinus. As Inuyasha opened the door, he saw it all; the enormous throne room lay before him. Its floors were the finest of white marble, as were its walls and columns, whilst its light’s were the same crystal as the ones in the hall, though they weren’t on right now. The light source was the crystallised light which streamed in from the large glass, double doors that lead out onto a spectacular balcony. Though Inuyasha thought that he wouldn’t like to try and jump from it, all the way up he was, and he knew Kilala still wouldn’t be able to fly up and save him. The sheer drop caused even a _half_ -demon to think twice…  
  
There at the far end of the spectacular room was a large, silver throne, incrusted with the finest sapphires and amethysts; and sat upon it, just as richly dressed as her throne, was Lady Divinus.  
“You came quickly, Inuyasha, that is good,” she smiled mysteriously at him from across the room; two soldiers stood either side of her proudly, not looking at Inuyasha.  
“Are we going to speak about what I came here for now?” Inuyasha asked, his voice losing its courteousness, resuming a more _Inuyasha-like_ air to it.  
“Yes, now tell me of your troubles.” Inuyasha told her of all, from the unprovoked attack from Sesshomaru, to when Kagome was shot, all the way through to their journey here, everything Kagome had been seeing, right up to that particular moment, (of course he told her nothing of his intimate conversations with Kagome, he still couldn’t suppress a blush when he even _began_ to recall them). The lady sat silent for a while after he finished speaking, deep in thought, then after some time, she answered. “You came to me for help, help I can give you, but not the kind you want. The Glisniai are peace lovers, we are not fighters truly; I cannot hand you a thousand men to fight along side you that is not how we are, we represent everything peaceful and tranquil in this world.” Inuyasha’s heart sank, if she could not help them, no one could. _Peace lovers, my ass!_ He thought, _what a load of crap, don’t give me the pacifist shit you stupid-_ Suddenly he cut off his thoughts as he saw the expression on the lady’s face. And then it occurred to him, _can she read my mind?  
  
_ “Yes I can,” she answered quietly, “But before you think something you’ll regret, I never said I couldn’t help you,” she continued, “there are more ways of winning than just hate against hate, violence against violence, you understand.” Inuyasha sneered.  
“Feh, whatever, what do you want me to do? Go _talk_ to him? Ask him if they can _pretty, pretty please_ piss off?” The woman’s gaze was heavy on him, and he soon silenced, allowing her to continue. Something about her, it just commanded obedience and respect, whether it was down to her frightening beauty or her radiant power, he wasn’t sure.  
“I know who you are facing. Your brother Sesshomaru, then there is Sceaduwe and The Order of Deorcnes, a particularly vile enemy; they’ve been our rivalling army for centuries. Lastly the one you did not fully guess, she is indeed a necromancer, a very old, cunning and powerful necromancer, and she is Y’leare. I don’t know their purposes, but I know what it will take to defeat them, and I am willing to help you.” She turned to her warriors and signalled them to leave them, they did so immediately. Divinus paced around a bit before continuing. “You need the only thing that I can give you that is strong enough, the _Kikeitarou-Anaka_.” Inuyasha looked at her perplexedly. “That boy, is a great magical force which can enter any powerful being and boost their abilities to heights you can’t even imagine. However, they will only work if the person or being is powered by great white magic, the being’s soul will reject the power otherwise.”  
“But how can I have this power if I am half-demon?” Inuyasha asked quietly.  
“Exactly, but you are the only being strong enough that I have found who still has good somewhere in his heart.”  
  
Inuyasha snorted at the thought of him having good in his heart, though Divinus continued despite his self-loathing. _Why doesn’t she just use it on herself?_ Divinus smiled slowly as she read his thoughts. “Do you think I already have not? I am not the ruler of Glisnia for my beauty alone,” Inuyasha watched her carefully, still not fully trusting her; she was far too clever, far too beautiful to be fully trusted, he’d seen these traits many times before, they never usually lead to trustworthy people – especially when they were women. “In order to master the Kikeitarou-Anaka, you must master the evil within you. It is a power motorized by Good or _White_ energy; because part of you is demon, something in you must power your good nature to enable you to stay as you are. You must tell me what that thing is.” Inuyasha lowered his head. “I am aware that the darkness in you, is beginning to swallow you whole…this power can help you overthrow that darkness.”  
“I don’t know. I never thought there was any good in me at all, least not enough.”  
“You talk of stopping the demonic transformations you go through, in order for you to do that, you have to have something good inside you.” He still looked as her as a matter to say _“yeah, right”_ though he didn’t think it, knowing that she would be able to read the words in his mind. “Let us have a look see,” said Divinus, moving towards him, her hand outstretched, placing on top of his head.  
“What are you doing?” asked Inuyasha warily.  
“Just trying to see what we are dealing with here…” she replied quietly; the next thing Inuyasha knew, he felt a cold feeling all through his head, as though as damp, misty fog were swirling around his mind leaving it cold and clammy. He did not know how long Divinus had him standing there for, he only felt the cold sensation in his head for what seemed like sometime, then Divinus took her hand away and everything returned to normal.  
  
“I have seen everything. Everything you have ever known; you cannot tell me there is no one who sees or has ever seen good in you,” said Divinus in her usual smooth voice as if they were having quite a normal conversation over a cup of sake. Inuyasha did not know what to say, his heart, his mind, his human half, his demon half, all seemed to be clashing together all at once in his mind.  
“I…don’t…” he stuttered with confusion, holding his head in his hands as if he were having a migraine.  
“Your pain is great as your strength; and your past is as dark as the evil buried deep inside you. But you cannot tell me there is nothing that does not make all that hurt just fall away.” Inuyasha seemed to regain sense slightly; he stood up straight, not clutching his head as he had done moments before.  
“No, I can’t.” Divinus walked to his side.  
“You must tell me; if you any hope of defeating your brother and the others,” she insisted.  
“The only time I ever feel at peace or that there is any good in me is when…I can’t explain it!” He was annoyed with himself for not being able to make sense of what was in his mind, in his heart.  
“Yes,” said Divinus, pushing him to make sense of it all. Inuyasha walked through the doors to the balcony, from here the view stretched as far as they eye could see; there was Glisnia city, then the great gates, Glisnia forest, and the dark, thin line on the horizon was the end of Spearaah. Inuyasha looked down and smiled; a grand building lay far below, and out of it walked Kagome, followed by Shippo, they stood in the crystal light gazing around them, oblivious to Inuyasha standing high above, watching them.  
“The only one who cares about me unconditionally; the only one who could reach my heart when I had transformed…the thing I care about most in the world or in any other…”  


* * *

Meanwhile, back down on the ground, Kagome and Shippo stood in awe of everything that was around them. They had never seen such a bustling town so freeof impurities, or welcoming in their lives. Kagome now wore her uniform, it was in the pack Sango had managed to save in the rush of escaping from the Skelos demons and the seamstresses of Glisnia had fixed it for her within moments.  
“Kagome?” Shippo asked innocently.  
“Yeah,” replied Kagome still thinking about her encounter with Inuyasha truthfully, not really paying any attention to Shippo.  
“Kagome!” He tugged at her arms annoyingly.  
“Yes, I’m listening, what is it?”  
“Where did you go last night? I woke up for a moment and you were gone, then you came back but you seemed…well I didn’t think you’d want to talk about it. But where did you go?” asked Shippo.  
“I couldn’t sleep; Inuyasha was the only one up so I went to talk to him.”  
“I thought you did.”  
“Why did you think that?”  
“Because you came back crying, he’s the only one who can make you cry like that,” replied Shippo simply. She sighed _, the perceptiveness of youth…  
_ “Yes, I suppose he is,” said Kagome dreamily, “though there is also no one who can make me smile like he does.” At this moment something inside her, just swept at her hair, whispering inside her mind, telling her to turn around, listening to the voice she turned and looked up, there on the tower balcony, she saw Inuyasha, smiling down at her. She smiled back up at him in content response.  
  
Suddenly, there was an almighty commotion at the gates; the soldier at the gate fell from his post, dead, an arrow through his heart. As his blood flooded to the ground beneath his body, the ground trembled under foot, the great gates shaking with such force that the rest of the great wall trembled. The gates sprang open and crumbled due to the force that was used on them. The soldiers which were holding it shut flew backwards with such force that when they hit the ground they skidded across the dirt and rock before stopping, not all of them surviving. Through the gates dashed what was thousands of wolf demons, howling and licking their mouths with savage hunger. Kagome was instantly reminded of Kouga, Inuyasha’s rival in everything he attempted, the wolf youkai leader, though it was not him standing in the gateway…it was Sesshomaru, Sceaduwe, and the Order of Deorcnes. Shippo leapt onto Kagome’s shoulder in fright, though the girl froze in fear. She heard a voice scream down to her from above  
“Kagome! Kagome you idiot run! Run away now!” She turned her head; it was Inuyasha, bellowing at her at the top of his lungs, though she could not move from fear. Then it hit her, she didn’t know if it was Inuyasha’s voice or Shippo’s crying and frantic tugging at her shirt which snapped her out of her state but she regained feeling in her legs, and she ran. She ran to the only place she could think of. The only place she wanted – needed to be. Dashing towards the tower entrance, she was nearly there but as her hands reached the door, something seized her from behind, yanking her backwards. It was Deorcnes warriors, then it all fitted, not just in her head, but in Inuyasha’s who stood helpless above her, in the minds of Sango and Miroku who stood with a transformed Kilala on a nearby rooftop struggling to get to their friend, the enemy didn’t want the Sacred Jewel shards as they had all thought, they wanted Kagome!  
  
The priestess’s eyes widened in horror at her realization; terror overcame her and she screamed deafeningly, “INUYASHA! INUYASHA!” Inuyasha heard her desperate pleas for him and his heart overcame his reason, nothing inside him, not even his demon blood was as strong as his heart now. He drew his sword from its sheath and Tetsusaiga glistened with the crystal light, transformed from its rusty archaic form into the threatening, murderous fang, calling to the flesh of the demons and Deorcnes warriors far below. Inuyasha leapt onto the edge of the balcony and skidded down the side of the tower.  
  
The Deorcnes warriors that held Kagome seized her arms and dragged her swiftly backwards, away from the tower. Inuyasha slipped as he skidded downwards, nearly sliding clean off the tower and down to the ground far below. He snagged hold of the pole which protruded out of the roof of one of the tallest buildings, swinging round it in a dizzying downward spiral and onto the safety of the rooftop below. But it did him no good; Kagome was still far below, getting further and further out of his reach with every minute.  
Sango tried to stay balanced on the roof where she was standing, bringing her Hirakoitsu round swiftly, so that several demons fell backwards onto the ground below.  
“Be careful Sango!” Miroku called to her, ducking as the sweeping motion nearly took his head off.  
“Sorry,” she apologized, “I just-” her words cut out as a demon slammed into her, sending her hurtling off of the roof, landing in a heap on the level below. Stumbling to her feet she saw Miroku land gracefully on his feet beside her, only to collapse to his behind from the drop. He smiled oddly in embarrassment as she took his hand and heaved him to his feet.  
“Heh heh…my legs hurt,” he winced, “ _and my bottom_ ,” Sango rolled her eyes. Amidst the chaos, trust the man _she_ loved to play the blundering clown.  
  
“Sango, Miroku!” Inuyasha called to the others, “help her, I can’t get to her!” Sango, Miroku and Kilala looked up from their battle with the demons, spotting Kagome being dragged towards the gates, kicking and screaming for help, Shippo still clinging to her shoulder. Sending their opponents crashing to the ground at their feet, they abandoned their battles, fighting their way through the masses of mayhem the demons were inflicting upon the city.  
  
Shippo sunk his teeth deep into one of the warrior’s hands and the warrior screamed in agony.  
“You filthy demon bastard! Get off me!” The warrior threw Shippo off of him and he skidded across the floor. Looking up from the ground, Shippo rubbed the dirt out of his eyes, only to see dozens of wolves gathered round him, licking their mouths at the delicious morsel that had been thrown to their feet. They advanced upon Shippo viciously, leaping at the kitsune as he tried to scramble away. They swamped over him, smothering him, no one realising he was trapped under the mound of starving demons.  
  
Inuyasha jumped across the city, from roof to roof but he wasn’t quick enough, Kagome was still too far away. Sango grasped the Hirakoitsu, and flinging it at the warriors with such force it caused her to fall back a few steps.  
“Enough!” shouted Y’leare from her perch above the city, tired of the incompetence of her partners, “Sesshomaru finish it now!” Sesshomaru sneered at the old witch. How dare she give him orders? He leapt forward, twisting the neck of one of the Glisniai soldiers so that it gave a sickening snap, before making his way to where Inuyasha’s friends – the _real_ threat were battling their way to Kagome’s side.  
  
The warrior looked in horror at the boomerang racing toward him, Sesshomaru appearing from nowhere in front of him, only to kick the boomerang fiercely back at Sango with relative ease all in a split second, before he was gone again. Sango dodged the return attack from the boomerang and leaped onto the warriors, drawing the sword from its sheath at her waist, only to have it knocked from her grasp within seconds. She leapt up once more, a sharp blade shooting from her sleeve and she thrashed at them, slicing across the cheek of one of Kagome’s captors, blood splattering over her face. Wiping the blood from her face, the demon slayer lashed out once more, the man releasing his grip on Kagome’s arm and smacked Sango hard in the jaw. Sango skidded a great distance before she stopped, lying still in the dirt on her side, not moving afterwards. The warrior laughed evilly, gripped Kagome by the arm aggressively and along with his friend dragged her away.  
“You _bastard_ ,” Kagome snarled, tears pouring down her face in both agony and fear, as she watched Sango lying still in the dust. Inuyasha ran as fast as he could across the rooftops, finding himself still too far away. As Miroku leapt onto her back, the cat-demon bounded swiftly from roof to roof until she came to the warriors which held one of her companions. Demons seemed to come from every direction, dozens pouncing at Miroku, sinking their claws into his skin, and dragging him off Kilala’s back, they pinned him under their massive weight, tearing at his clothes and flesh. Crying out in pain, Miroku kicked them off him but they kept pouncing back onto him. Like the pack-animals they were, they smothered him and overpowered him in their great numbers. Kilala looked back guiltily at her companions, but focused her anger at the brutes that dragged Kagome further away from her. With a great roar, Kilala bared her fangs and charged at them. Other men leapt up and slashed at her with their swords and spears, other demons abandoning terrorising the villagers and setting upon snapping at her legs. Avoiding them she pounced on one of the warriors, but was still beaten; another slung his weapon at her in desperation, the metal slicing across her side and she flew through the air, transforming back with weak flames to her smaller form a she went. Landing with a crash on the floor, the demons gathered round Kilala’s weak body, ready to feast on the whimpering lump on the ground. Sango crawled away from her attackers, blood oozing from every pore, her face dirty and nearly unrecognizable beneath the blood.  
“No!” she yelled, throwing herself over Kilala; the demons advanced savagely upon her.  
  
Sesshomaru had reappeared a little way off in the midst of the battle; demons were everywhere, attacking villagers and Glisniai soldiers aided by the Deorcnes warriors. Suddenly, though, the warriors who held Kagome neared the gate and this was obviously the sign of retreat, for they all turned and ran back out of the gates. Inuyasha knew he could not let them get her out of the gates or he’d surely never see her again. He jumped onto the ground at last and ran towards her.  
“INUYASHA!” Kagome yelled to him as he drew near; one of the warriors turned on her.  
“For the Gods’ sake, shut your whining you insolent wench!” the man shouted, kicking her hard in the face as he and another man dragged her along the ground. She screamed in agony, coughing hard, blood pouring from her mouth. Rage overthrew Inuyasha, his heart had gone from this matter, and the demon had arisen.  
  
He advanced on the warriors, surpassing the demons at great speeds.  
“You BASTARDS!” he yelled at the warriors, slashing at their arms with Tetsusaiga, and they fell to the ground along with the struggling, bleeding men. As the warriors roared with pain at their feet, Inuyasha pulled Kagome up into his arms and jumped high onto a nearby roof, Kagome clung to him as hard as she could, not realising her fingernails were digging into him. Inuyasha jumped higher and higher, roof to roof. Kagome’s eyes widened in horror as suddenly, Inuyasha stopped.  
“What’s the matter, Inuyasha?” asked Kagome; Inuyasha fell to the floor from their great height, Kagome still clinging to him, the half-demon taking all the pain from the impact, landing beneath her. She pulled off him slightly, and saw what was wrong; an arrow had struck him in the back. “No!” Screamed Kagome, she hugged him tenderly and with eyes closed tight, she pulled the arrow from Inuyasha’s back. He screamed as the arrow left his back, but she stroked his hair as tears fell from her eyes onto his body. The half-demon’s eyes were open, almost lifelessly and blood seeping from his mouth. His bloodied mouth moved soundlessly, as if he were trying to speak. Then he managed to form words.  
“Run!” His voice was hoarse; she shook her head and clung to him even more. Then she felt a great force from behind. More Deorcnes warriors grabbed her arms, forcing her away from Inuyasha. She grabbed at him, and Inuyasha tried to hold onto her, his nails nicking her as he reached for her; but Inuyasha was too wounded and Kagome wasn’t strong enough to pull away from them.  
“No!” She screamed as they dragged her off him, elbowing them, yanking herself momentarily out of their grip, and pressing her mouth ardently to Inuyasha's bloody lips. _Please,_ she thought _, please don’t leave me_. The shards in the bottle around her neck, the sacred jewel shards, glowed with a blinding fuchsia light, the men drawing back slightly at the power of the pure energy radiating in great waves from it.  
  
The kiss seemed to breathe life back into him, the wound on his back healing as her tears fell onto him, his pupils that had contracted, expanding back to normal size. As the warriors yanked Kagome away, Inuyasha stood up, seizing Tetsusaiga and ran full force at the warriors.  
“Hey, did I say you could leave?!” he shouted. The men turned at his voice, blood flying everywhere as Inuyasha slashed at them, the crimson fluid splashing onto himself as well as the corpses that lay strewn at his feet. Tetsusaiga was stained with their blood, but they had reached the outside of the gates. The warriors lay dead on the bloodied ground and Kagome unprotected. Inuyasha reached for her, but Sesshomaru appeared behind her; within seconds, he grabbed hold of her and with one evil smile from Sesshomaru they disappeared from Inuyasha’s sight. All Inuyasha was left with was Kagome’s lingering cry, the last word she uttered as she disappeared, “Inuyasha…”  
  
  
  
TBC


	10. Foreseen Betrayal

**Foreseen Betrayal**  
-Ten-  
  
  
Kagome felt a rush flow through her as Sesshomaru seized her; she was filled with nothing but fear, Inuyasha was gone from sight, all she could see was black, it was as if Sesshomaru and she were speeding through a dark abyss. A cold, terrifying feeling jolted through her body, and then suddenly, it stopped. The black around them was replaced by a warm, dark, stone room, which had only a small fire as its light source, burning in the hearth of a great, stone fireplace. Sesshomaru released his grip of her and she fell to the floor. As she sat up from the heap she had landed in, Sesshomaru joined the others who were gathered round the fireplace; Sceaduwe, Y’leare and Rin were silhouetted against the firelight.  
  
“It was done quickly and efficiently,” spoke Y’leare coldly, “you obtained the sacrifice and ridded us of those who would have posed a threat to us. The Attack was well executed.” Y’leare’s praise made Kagome sick, though she was too afraid and in too much pain to speak as she normally would have, holding her hands over her bleeding mouth, _beyond_ grateful she hadn’t lost any teeth.  
“What of the companions?” Sceaduwe asked uneasily, still apprehensive at having beaten back _‘the Great Inuyasha’_ so effortlessly.  
“The kitsune was thrown from a warrior, then attacked by the dog demon; he did not reappear again,” explained Sesshomaru dully. “The demon slayer and the two-tail cat-demon, perished under swarms of demons and soldiers. The monk, last I saw of him was when he was overpowered by some of your starved _mutts_ ,” he explained, harbouring _immense_ loathing towards _any_ canine demon that allowed itself to be controlled or _used_ by such… _underlings_ ; he was an upper level one himself after all.  
“Yes, yes, yes, but what about the half-demon?” asked Y’leare impatiently.  
“He was mortally wounded, an arrow through his back, he seemed to recuperate briefly, though the shot was too near his heart, he should be dead by now.”  
“Good, then there is nothing standing in our way,” concluded Y’leare.  
  
Emotion overcame Kagome. She’d heard them carelessly tick off the list of her friends as dead, one-by-one; as they finalized Inuyasha’s death her heart froze, tears drenching her cheeks and the blood continuing to pour from her mouth where the soldier had kicked her. The emotional and physical pain was so overwhelming…it felt like death.  
“Inuyasha…” she whimpered quietly, distracted from the rest of reality as the realisation hit her…Inuyasha was…dead? Y’leare turned to face her, seeming to be dangerously concerned.  
“What is the matter girl, why are you whimpering like some ill dog?” Kagome did not answer, she physically couldn’t, even if she had wanted to, her distress seemed to have silenced her. “Are you mute, girl? What is wrong?” Tears continued to fall down Kagome’s face; she turned away from Y’leare, not being able to even look at her. This woman, this old hag was responsible for her friends death…she wanted to kill her.  
  
“Is it your friends, are you worried about their deaths?” asked Y’leare in a false kindness. “I know it’s the half-demon.” Kagome began to cry harder than ever; choking as she tried not to let out the cries that were tearing at her throat to get out, as she felt everyone in the room watching her. All she wanted was to go back to this morning, to when Inuyasha seemed to be ready to tell her all she wanted to hear from his heart; and now she would never hear it. “So that’s it…you heard of your beloved half-demon’s death and now you are grieving,” Kagome made no reply. “Well do not worry girl, his death, the death of your friends, they were easier than yours will be.” Kagome looked up at her now; and then she spoke.  
“What…what do you want with me?” asked Kagome and Y’leare smiled evilly.  
“I lost my power my dear, my power is connected with this world, and lately, there has been a disturbance, something that isn’t supposed to be here and that…is you. I need to rid your spirit from this world for my powers to return.”  
  
Kagome’s eyes widened in horror, “so, you’re going to sacrifice me to get your power back?” _Why not just send me home and block my way back? Or take the Sacred Jewel shards from me so I cannot return…_ thought Kagome.  
“Because my dear I know you,” Y’leare croaked, reading her thoughts, “and I know your half-demon, he would find a way to unblock the portal from your world to ours; besides, there is a force at work in this world that is stronger than my magic, it wouldn’t let me cast the blocking spell. _In any case_ , why are you asking that, surely you would rather die than face life without your friends, am I right?” Kagome made no reply.  
  
Suddenly Y’leare’s eyes glowed with anger as she looked at Kagome’s face. Kagome winced in both pain and revulsion, as Y’leare’s crooked, gnarled fingers caught her chin, tilting her face to the firelight. “Who has touched her?” yelled Y’leare questioningly, “her mouth is bleeding, which one of you did it?” She looked to Kagome. “Who did it?”  
Kagome didn’t care any more, she cared not who these people were, she didn’t _care_ about anything…not now that Inuyasha was gone… The priestess didn’t answer.  
“I saw it,” replied Sesshomaru quietly, in a careless, bored voice, “it was a Deorcnes warrior. She was screaming for my brother, the warrior tired of her noise and decided to… _silence_ her. Though, he is dead now, my _dear little brother_ killed him in his rage.” Y’leare was overpowered with anger, spinning on her heel to face Sceaduwe.  
“You idiot! You can’t even control your army, I told you not a drop of her blood was to be spilled; it was all supposed to be for the sacrifice. What if she has lost too much blood? What if too much of it has spilled and lingered in this world?”  
“It is too late anyway,” said Sesshomaru, the others turned to face him, even Kagome. “The men were supposed to keep her blood inside her, in case it mixed with the earth and her spirit would not leave.”  
“So, all of the blood is on her clothes, that can be got rid of easily,” argued Sceaduwe.  
“It wasn’t all on her clothes,” said Sesshomaru snidely, almost smirking, “your men couldn’t restrain her, my brother was also bleeding at the mouth, the girl, she kissed him. Their blood has mixed now, if you kill her in the sacrifice her spirit will still be tied here by Inuyasha; she will be immune to your spell.”  
  
When Sesshomaru had finished all looked on at him in amazement.  
“That’s fine,” said Y’leare calming down now, releasing Kagome and standing upright once more, “I’ll just have to finish off Inuyasha as well.” Kagome snapped back into reality at this, then Inuyasha was alive; her spirits lifted, then they planned his death along side hers and fear rose in her again. “Take the girl to the dungeon, post as many guards as you can at all entrances to the castle, there will be no chance of the half-demon rescuing her.” With Y’leare’s words, two men seized Kagome and dragged her from the room.  
“INUYASHA! INUYASHA!” Her screams ricocheted off the dank walls, the girl wishing more than anything that he would burst in at any moment and rescue her…but he didn’t.  
  
After dragging her down the dark stone staircase, the men threw her (literally) into a lightless cell, with a single barred window, the only light was of course in short supply with her being back in Spearaah. The men chained her arms to the wall and there she sat, alone in the dark on the cold floor. She knelt on her knees, looking out the window at the moon. She gazed at it momentarily, and then she held her head in her hands, tears trickling down her face and through her fingers, as she fell into despair.  
  
Meanwhile, back upstairs they were still locked in deep discussion.  
“Our plan is nearly complete tomorrow evening on the light of the full moon, we will make our sacrifice and my powers will return.” Rin had watched as Kagome was dragged away, had seen what these people had done to her, and she sidled along the shadows of the room, slipping out through the door; Y’leare and the others weren’t aware and kept talking.  
“Well if we’re all done here then, I have done my part, I will now take my leave,” said Sesshomaru. The soldiers of Deorcnes enclosed in, blocking his exit.  
“Well yes, here is the problem. Sceaduwe was promised demon blood, and not just one beings blood. Tomorrow he will have the half-demon’s blood, and of course the blood of the only other living descendants of Inu-no-Taishou; that'd be you, his _true son and heir,_ am I right?” Sesshomaru smirked slightly at Y’leare’s words.  
“You think I didn’t suspect this all along? The secrecy, the strange looks, the demon revulsion; I knew this was your plan all along, and as for draining me of my blood, you will have to catch me first.” Sesshomaru was beaten however.  
“I knew you would work it all out foolish demon! I do realize you aren’t as stupid as you look. We have prepared for this night. Men, take him down and put him in the cell next to the girl.”  
“You really think any cell can hold me?”  
“Oh, trust me, _this_ one will,” said Y’leare with a half sneer, half smile, “it’s been reinforced by magic, magic stronger than even _I_ can withstand.” It took dozens of the Deorcnes warriors to overpower the demon lord, making their move before he could resort to use of either Tokijin or the whip at his fingertips, they leapt forward, seizing him and dragging the struggling demon out of the chamber.  
“Bastards...” he growled out, his enraged voice bearing the familiar tone of his father and brother, “you'll be repaid for this betrayal, that I _promise_ you,” his usual calm decorum had withered from his voice, the once calmness broken through with pure blinded fury as he left their sight, as his rage echoed through the castle.  
  
Back in the dungeon, Rin poked her head through the bars inclining her head slightly to speak with the imprisoned priestess.  
“Kagome,” she whispered her voice sweet and kind. Kagome looked up from her state on the ground.  
“Rin?”  
“Yes, I came to talk to you. I’m sorry about all this, I didn’t help, honest!!  
“I know you didn’t… _I just wish Inuyasha was here_ ,” said Kagome, the last half mostly to herself. At this moment, the sound of footsteps and shouting could be heard. “Rin, who is it?” asked Kagome.  
“I don’t know,” she replied, looking up the darkened corridor, “wait, I’ll hide, I’ll return in a moment,” the human girl hid herself in the shadows by Kagome’s door as the soldiers dragged Sesshomaru into his cell and threw him in. Then Sesshomaru transformed; his huge, white, dog-form not surprising them in the least, thick chains, glowing with crackling, crimson magic were drawn out.  
  
The skin and fur on Sesshomaru sizzled and seared as the men lashed out and the chains made contact with him, snarling at the men as they attacked him, until Rin heard a yelp, and Sesshomaru changed back, skidding to the ground.  
“Rise from _that_ you filthy demon vermin!” The men jeered as they locked the door and stalked off. Rin darted to Sesshomaru’s door, her voice frantic with anxiety.  
“Lord Sesshomaru? Lord Sesshomaru, are you okay?”  
“What are you doing here, Rin? Go, run now before they find you here,” he ordered her, his voice broken, and hoarse, as Kagome had never heard it before.  
“I was talking to Kagome, what should I do, you are hurt?”  
“Rin, Rin!” called Kagome, Rin returned to her sight, “Go to Inuyasha in Glisnia, and show him the way here, he’ll help us.”  
“No, he won’t…I helped take you away, why would he help _me_?” asked Sesshomaru.  
“He will if I ask him to,” replied Kagome, “please Rin, Sesshomaru may hate him but, he’s your only hope of both of us getting out of here alive.” Rin seemed to contemplate this for a moment and then spoke.  
“But how do I get there so quickly?”  
“Go to Ah-Un, just beyond the gates of the castle,” said Sesshomaru, this sentence obviously his compliance for the plan the priestess in the cell beside him seemed to have formed.  
“Okay,” replied Rin, and voices could be heard drawing nearer and nearer down the hall.  
“I’ll be back, I promise,” she whispered, dashing off into the castle, using shadow as her cover.  
  
  
  
TBC


	11. Kikeitarou-Anaka Unearthed

**Kikeitarou-Anaka Unearthed**  
-Eleven-  
  
  
The city of Glisnia was nothing but wreckage, the walls of the buildings still shimmering through the carnage of both humans and demons. Inuyasha stood at the gates, lingering in some delayed, frozen space of time, abandoned horror evident on his face. He hadn’t moved since Kagome left his sight a few minutes before, as if the life was drawn from him. Sango heaved herself up off the ground, Kilala clutched tightly in her arms.  
  
“Miroku, Shippo, answer me!” The demon slayer cried out, steadying herself on her feet, swaying slightly. The piled up masses the wolf demons’ corpses shifted slightly not far away, and hopefulness swelled within her. Somebody was alive? Darting over to the bodies, she seized them, heaving them all off hastily. From underneath a bloody, badly wounded but clearly still alive Miroku scrambled from beneath the dead weight of them, practically gasping for breath. Looking at her through the one eye he could manage to open through the clotted bloodied mess, the monk smiled weakly at her.  
“Did we beat the bastards?” She threw both arms round him and pulled him into a backbreaking hug.  
“You stupid, stupid pervert, how _dare_ you let me think you were dead!” This of course was a beautiful moment as Sango fought to stop herself from crying, but Miroku will always be himself, and Sango felt something pawing at her backside adoringly. A familiar smacking noise sounded through the air, Sango’s palm colliding with Miroku’s cheek, and with a trademark impish grin. “You are really, really sick you know that?” yelled Sango; Miroku grinned happily, but then his smile faded.  
“Where’s Shippo?” Gazing around them, the two studied the blood and corpses carefully, the kitsune nowhere to be seen. They searched everywhere but they could not find him. Tears welled up in Sango’s eyes and Miroku stood solemnly next to her.  
  
“Why? Why did it have to be him?! He was only trying to protect Kagome! He was just a little KID!!! These…these bastards…they’re going to get payback for this!” Suddenly Sango stopped, turning on her heel to face the voice that sounded from behind her, turning to see Hiroshi calling her over to him. Darting over to where the man knelt in the dirt, the monk and the demon slayer stumbled slightly in their hopeful urgency.  
“Is this what you were looking for?” he asked, wiping the blood from his face and passing a bloody, unconscious Shippo into her arms.  
“Thank you,” replied Sango, tears brewing in her eyes, “my god, look what they’ve done to him.” His clothes were torn, his small form covered in deep, vicious gashes. They watched him as his eyes opened slowly, and uneasily.  
“Where…where’s Kagome?” mumbled Shippo incoherently. They looked around them; spying Inuyasha at the gate and ran over to him.  
“Inuyasha, where’s Kagome?” Sango asked as she and the others ran towards him. Inuyasha didn’t answer immediately, his dll, golden eyes staring blankly into nothingness, gradually turning to face them, blood still oozing from his mouth, both Kagome’s and his own.  
“I tried…I had her…they shot me and I think…I think I almost died,’ they looked at him as if he’d hit his head. “But then…Kagome she, she…kissed me and…I felt like I was alive again.” Suddenly Inuyasha’s mind flashed back, He saw himself being shot again, felt the same agony as Kagome pulled the arrow out, then…  
  
“She healed me; I don’t know how but…somehow she healed me. Then they grabbed her, I killed them all but, Sesshomaru, he took her…and he...he disappeared…” Inuyasha fell silent, his hair hanging limply in his eyes, masking the pain within them from the others.  
“But where did he take her?” asked Miroku.  
“I don’t know,” Inuyasha replied uselessly. Suddenly the half-demon’s head snapped up, a fiery determination in his eyes as he spoke again, stronger this time. “But I know how to find out.” The others looked at each other, not liking the harshness of Inuyasha’s voice as he spoke the last part. Someone was certainly in for the brunt of his anger…  
  
Moments later, the doors to the throne room were flung open and in charged a fuming Inuyasha, with Sango, Miroku, Kilala and Shippo hot on his tail, desperate to stop the inevitable confrontation. “They've got her! Sesshomaru and the others have taken her and it's all down to you! You said you'd protect her, you lying bitch!” Inuyasha seized Divinus by her throat and shook her wildly, holding her off the ground, his claws biting into her pale throat.  
“Inuyasha NO!” yelled Sango and Miroku, leaping at Inuyasha’s arm and yanking on it hard in an attempt to make him drop Divinus; half-heartedly, Inuyasha released his grip and Divinus fell to the floor.  
“If anything happens to her I’ll _kill_ you!” Inuyasha snarled at her.  
“It burns doesn't it? The anger you feel towards me is giving you energy. But feeding your strength off of hatred will not help you to save her,” said Divinus sardonically, picking herself up off the floor. Inuyasha seemed to crumble at the words, not at all like his usual, _Inuyasha-like_ self, his eyes widened and turned glassy – the look of a dejected puppy dog.  
  
“Help me...Help me to find her. Help me learn how to be stronger,” he asked weakly, grinding his teeth against each other. He hated being weak, and even more _showing_ that weakness, but if he could get Kagome back, it was a small price to pay...  
“It is not as simple as _learning_. You have to do a lot more than just do as I say,” explained Divinus.  
“I'll do it...as long as I get her back, I'll do anything,” insisted Inuyasha as the others stood nearby, just in case his temper got the better of him and he decided to throttle Divinus again.  
  
“I do not even know if I can help you. While you are at this state of mind, your soul might not accept the power I can give you. I do not even know if I _wish_ to give it to you anyway after seeing how quickly your temper gets the best of you.’” Inuyasha looked away from her, not being able to think of how pathetic he was being; though the demon was gone, his heart had won again. If the only way to get her back was to be like this then he’d do it.  
“I'm sorry...but...Please help me get her back,” the half-demon asked humbly, politely, almost pleadingly.  
“Throw your sword down boy,” ordered Divinus; she seemed coerced by Inuyasha’s determination. Inuyasha threw Tetsusaiga away from him, Sango seizing the opportunity to pick it up, not too glad it was out of his hands when he was in this state, should through the misery and anger, his demon half would emerge the Tetsusaiga wouldn’t be there to subdue it. “You have to believe you can win without your sword. If you believe you can master this power, your strength cannot lie in a blade, it must lie within you. However, your heart is full of shadow, we must find the light in you, and bring it out to the surface – to the ruling place in your heart. _That_ must be your power...”  
  
Inuyasha and the others were highly confused at this, throwing the woman disbelieving looks. _This woman’s a fruitcake_ , Shippo thought from his place in Sango’s arms.  
“If light is the same as White magic, how can I find that inside _me_ of all people?”  
“The strongest source of Dark magic is hate and animosity, therefore the strongest source of White magic must be...?”  
“Love and friendship?” Sango suggested, Divinus nodded in reply, that dangerously placid look on her face still, the look that had remained even when Inuyasha had his claws in her throat. She’d seemed…unfazed. She’d known Inuyasha couldn’t touch her supreme power. Something about the way she carried herself, it just told the others who observed her, she _knew_ Inuyasha couldn’t hurt her, even if he tried…  
  
“I looked into your soul earlier, your heart; and I glimpsed the _white magic_ within you, that which gives you power over your dark side. However, the Kikeitarou-Anaka needs great passion to work inside a being bearing demon blood. It has to completely take you over; sometimes that requires different types of confession depending on the person.” At this moment, Shippo jumped from Sango’s arms and onto the floor, apparently recovered enough to move on his own. _Most of it was more than likely he didn’t want to walk up all those stairs,_ Miroku thought.  
“So what? Inuyasha just has to admit he cares about something?” asked Shippo, his childish, annoying voice back to usual, all of them seeming to be healing rapidly from the battle. _Oh, that’s it,_ thought Sango; _we’re done for, Inuyasha will never tell – he’s such a brat!  
_ “Perhaps, we’ll have to see first won’t we?” said Divinus, smiling lightly, wise eyes still trained on Inuyasha, making the half-demon shift nervously. Geez he wished she’d just look away, or even blink! That’d be something too!  
  
“I don’t…I can’t…” the feeling he had earlier, where every side to him was all-together in his mind returned, he clasped his head again, trying to figure out the voices, each whispering – no _screaming_ something different. An eruption of fears, insecurities, emotions and thoughts scrambled to the surface all at once, some he hadn’t even known he _had_!  
“You was saying before we were interrupted, _‘The only one who cares about me unconditionally; the only one who could reach my heart when I had transformed. The thing I care about most in the world or in any other…’_ What was it you were going to say?’ Divinus asked coolly.  
“I can’t, I’m not that sort of person,” said Inuyasha, “I don’t even know my…my feelings myself!”  
“Well that’s not entirely true is it? If you didn’t you wouldn’t be so embarrassed about speaking about this sort of thing,” Inuyasha felt his cheeks flush, he knew she was right, but he couldn’t form the words. Were there even words for it? It wasn’t as if he’d ever had anyone to ask – no mother, no father, an estranged brother, and no friends until more recently. He didn’t even know what _this_ was! _Well that wasn’t exactly true_ , his mind supplied, _you know_ exactly _what this is, you’re just too_ scared _to admit it, lest you lose the one you care for most all over again_ …  
  
Just then, a height of great emotion overcame him, his heart won the deafening battle in his mind and his feelings blurted from his mouth, he barely registered his voice saying them. His words were quiet, barely even uttered; no one heard them, besides Divinus who was standing next to him, though she seemed to already know what he was going to say. “Kagome...I...love Kagome…” Suddenly, Inuyasha’s body went rigid; a brilliant light surrounded him, blinding the others, elating him. For a few moments, he felt the most warm, contented feeling he had ever felt before flow through his body. Then he saw her face, Kagome’s face formed only for Inuyasha’s eyes in the light, then both her face and the light faded.  
  
“What was that?” asked Shippo in awe, making Sango and Miroku nearly laugh as he tried to snatch the little spots out of the air, which had formed in front of his eyes as a repercussion of the blinding light. They had only heard Inuyasha mumble so for all they knew the light appeared out of nowhere.  
“Pure, white magic…” answered Sango slowly, gazing in awe at their half-demon friend.  
“All that magic…did it…all come from me?” asked Inuyasha distantly.  
“Yes,” answered Divinus, “Kikeitarou-Anaka lies with everybody who feels great love, but only those with enough strength, whilst in Glisnia, purist of places and assisted by myself, can access that power. But your power has not yet fully awakened; you cannot use it until Kagome hears what you just said. Usually it only takes the being to admit it to themselves, but clearly your demon half requires a little more to be totally controlled.”  
  
Inuyasha frowned at her, still uneasy under her gaze, eyes widening in horror as he tried to shift slightly. “I can’t move!” panicked Inuyasha.  
“Yes, that can happen when that amount of power shoots through you so quickly. It is a bit of an aftermath,” explained Divinus, as soon as the words left her mouth, Inuyasha stumbled forwards, quickly recovering himself and getting to his feet steadily, apparently regaining his ability to move.  
  
“One question,” he asked her gruffly, covering up his embarrassment with his usual brush-off attitude, “what happened with Kagome and me? I was sure I was dead and then, she cried and I was alive again, and then she… _kissed me_ and I was okay, what was that all about?”  
“A simple enough effect,” Divinus said simply, “I notice that Kagome carries the shards of the Shikon no Tama about her neck, as protector of the shards, she more than likely plead the shards around her neck to save your life.” The half-demon’s eyes widened in horror.  
“She didn’t make a wish?! Won’t that taint the-”  
“It’s not a wish as such,” he heard, this time it was Sango who spoke, “It’s more of the Jewel recognising Kagome’s deepest, unconscious desires. She’s their protector, she it’s _connected_ to her somehow; it was more than likely affected by her supreme desire for you to live.” A moment of silence fell, and then Inuyasha spoke once more, still partially registering his friend’s words.  
“But, how do I find Kagome if I don’t have the power now?” Divinus did not need to answer Inuyasha’s question, his answer lay in the little girl who flung open the door to the throne room, and that little girl was Rin.  
  
  
TBC


	12. Immediate Locality and the Hidden Power

**Immediate Locality and the Hidden Power**  
-Twelve-  
  
  
Rin stood in the doorway, her hair wild and her clothes worn with travel. She looked as though she were about to collapse on the floor before them, though she stood firm, trying to show no sign of weakness, as she had watched Sesshomaru do everyday she had known him, until tonight… It shattered her to see her lord humbled and humiliated like that, those men, they used powerful magic to cheat in bringing the most powerful demon to his knees with little effort. If it were possible, she felt more hurt, more hopeless than Sesshomaru had secretly felt…  
  
“What are you doing here? Get out!” yelled Inuyasha, his softer side seeming to evaporate as Rin had appeared. Little kid or no, he wasn’t in the mood to deal with his bastard brother’s followers.  
“Please, listen to-”  
“-No _you_ listen, Sesshomaru abducts Kagome, tears apart the city, _shoots me_ in the back, _literally,_ and suddenly you’re here and _I_ have to listen?”  
“Inuyasha just hear-” Sango began.  
“-No, I have more things to worry about than some stupid little brat! Kagome is-”  
“-In trouble,” interrupted Rin, most uncharacteristically, “Please, the others, Sceaduwe and the Necromancer, they betrayed Sesshomaru; I came here to help him, and Kagome,” Miroku’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, he’d witnessed enough of Sesshomaru’s stoic pride to know the Demon Lord of the Western lands would _never_ ask Rin to go to _Inuyasha_ for help. _Something’s not right here_ …  
“How do we know you’re telling the truth?” asked the monk sceptically.  
“She’s telling the truth,” confirmed Inuyasha expressionlessly, cold indifference in his eyes, “I can smell Kagome on her.”  
  
Inuyasha never had liked this little girl much, for a start when the beads of subjugation broke from the necklace he had been doomed to wear, that little squirt gathered them all back up for Kagome to replace them on his neck again! He growled mentally in aggravation recalling finding out that information from Shippo. But aside from that, she just doted and loved Sesshomaru far too much for his liking. The way she danced round his feet carelessly, obeying him unwaveringly, while _his_ brother indulged her childishness, protected her, cared for her. _That isn’t right,_ he thought, not for the first nor last time. And it wasn’t. Sesshomaru was _his_ older brother, and he’d never received anything besides unnecessary loathing and innumerable agonizing injuries from him, whilst that little brat got everything – everything that by rights should be his. Everytime he even _saw_ her, he was reminded of the life, of the affection that had been denied him – not that he wanted it. Regardless of his suddenly irritated gaze, Rin seemed to become less tense as she saw Inuyasha was ready to believe her.  
“Tell us everything you know Rin, and quick,” said Sango, kneeling down beside Rin with a slight wince of pain, her hands resting reassuringly on the girl’s shoulders.  
  
“Lord Sesshomaru brought Kagome back to this castle; it’s the place the Witch and those men use for their hideout. The Witch lost her powers some time ago, she says it was because of something that caused this world to be unbalanced; she says that thing that altered the balance is Kagome.” Inuyasha looked up from the floor and directly into Rin’s eyes for the first time. “She says she needs to do this ‘ritual sacrifice’ using Kagome to get her powers back; but she was really mad when she saw Kagome was bleeding, she said that if too much of her blood connected to this world then she wouldn’t be able to be killed by the sacrifice. Then Sesshomaru told her that Kagome…that she kissed you, he said that your blood had mixed and that your life would hold her spirit to this world.  
  
“Then the Witch said it wouldn’t matter, because Inuyasha had to die anyway and they took Kagome away and locked her in the dungeon. And then that man Sceaduwe, he revealed that he wanted more than Inuyasha’s blood; he wanted Lord Sesshomaru’s too. They locked him away next to Kagome. I went to them and Kagome told me to come and get you. Ah-Un brought me here.” Rin exhaled heavily as she finished speaking, glad her duty had been accomplished.  
“Is Kagome okay?” asked Inuyasha quietly, still holding the girl’s gaze. The girl frowned slightly.  
“Not really, she’s lost a lot of blood, where she is, it’s dark and there are these men from the ‘Order of Deorcnes’, they’re brutes, cruel, like the bandits that... They could be hurting Lord Sesshomaru, or Kagome right now.” Sango and Inuyasha’s eyes met frantically then, as if they’d both simultaneously remembered, time was running out.  
“Rin, where is the castle?” asked Sango. The girl’s face scrunched slightly as she tried to remember.  
“I don’t know its name, but I can show you.”  
“Come on then,” said Shippo, leaping onto Inuyasha’s shoulder and tugging at half-demon’s kimono, “let’s go rescue Kagome!”  
“Wait!” insisted Rin, “the sacrifice is tonight under the full moon, it has taken me long enough to get here being carried by Ah-Un, you will never get there in time.”  
  
Inuyasha looked to Sango who clutched Kilala in her arms.  
“She can’t Inuyasha, she hasn’t recovered from the battle, she couldn’t carry us out of the _gate_ without collapsing right now,” answered Sango to Inuyasha’s unasked question.  
“Do you have a quicker way?” Inuyasha asked Divinus, turning to face her, but before she could answer, Inuyasha grasped his head in pain, he collapsed to the floor with his head in his hands, he could hear something in his head, and it was driving him mad.  
“Inuyasha! Inuyasha what’s wrong?” Sango and Shippo asked in unison.  
“I can hear something,…” he gasped huskily, crumbling onto the ground in agony, “I think it’s…I’m sure it’s…Kagome.”  


* * *

Kagome knelt on the cold, stone floor, leaning against the dank wall and recalling how Inuyasha had made her feel only moments before the extreme terror and pain that had befallen her as Sesshomaru had opened the gates. They’d been so close…after three years, they’d nearly come to the realisation of their feelings…or at least hers, and it’d been ripped away from them once again.  
“What are you thinking about?” asked Sesshomaru huskily through the bars separating his cell from Kagome’s. He too was chained up, but instead of his wrists being trapped against the wall by cuffs, he was bound by his arms to the ground awkwardly and most likely _painfully_.  
  
“Nothing,” replied Kagome, looking over at his form, his bloodstained skin bearing an ethereal glow in the moonlight. _He looks so tired,_ she thought. She’d _never_ seen Lord Sesshomaru rendered this powerless.  
“Liar…you’re thinking about my brother aren’t you?” Kagome did not reply. “You really think he’ll be able to save you?”  
“No – I _know_ he will.”  
“Why? Because he _loves_ you so much? His love wasn’t enough to save you from this was it? We are both going to bleed tonight, slowly and painfully, and out of our agony someone more evil and more revolting than Naraku will gain.” Kagome pretended not to hear him. “Are you afraid?” he asked her.  
“Yes.”  
“What of? Death? That he will leave you here? That your soul will be trapped forever in oblivion?”  
“No…”  
  
“Then what frightens you, Priestess?” The demon lord persisted. Kagome stared at him, wondering why he was talking to her like this, “do not fret for my reason for questioning, I just wondered what a human might feel before her death.”  
“I’m not afraid of dying, because I know Inuyasha won’t let me die.”  
“How can you be so sure he’s strong enough?”  
“Because he’s Inuyasha…he’s always protected me.”  
“In that case, what is it that you fear?” Kagome didn’t answer at first, of course she knew the answer immediately, it was the fear she’d had inside ever since she had fallen in love with Inuyasha.  
“I don’t want Inuyasha to die…” she admitted quietly. Sesshomaru’s face remained expressionless.  
  
“I used to wonder of you humans and those who loved them, of why they would always be more afraid for others than themselves, why they put their loved ones before their lives. But now I understand…”  
“What’s changed?” asked Kagome, knowing the answer already.  
“I managed to…find myself again, for the first time since my father perished, I started to care,” he replied, “I started to care and think of something other than myself.” This was obviously Rin, though he made no confession saying that it was her, “it was the same for Inuyasha of course; he was nearly as heartless as me after losing that mortal mother of his, but then you crossed his path. Whether you see it or not, _you_ are the one who cured my brother’s heart. I can see it in his face each time he looks at you, and I know him less than if we did not share the same blood.”  
  
Kagome had never (as obvious as it was to everyone else), ever known that she had been the one to do this, though she knew she could get to his softer side like no one else could. And she had never truly appreciated that Sesshomaru was Inuyasha’s brother, until now, as he watched her through the bars dividing their cage, blood staining the silver hair that hung into his eyes, they were totally different, yet the look the demon was giving her right now, his golden eyes staring into her soul, he reminded her so much of the half-demon brother he claimed to hate. However, her mind drifted into less rational thoughts…was Sesshomaru was telling her this to help her feel better?  
  
“Why are you telling me this?” she asked, wincing slightly at the agony in her mouth. It was seriously beginning to throb, and she couldn’t even move her hands to wipe the blood that was oozing from her lips.  
“Because you are so foolish, too blind to see what my brother feels, as he is to your feelings.”  
“What do you know of my feelings?” she asked, slightly offensive that Lord ‘frozen-heart’ Sesshomaru was giving her lectures on her feelings.  
“I know more than you would guess. Take it from someone who has studied my brother so I would understand where it would hurt him most; people like me, who have fought with you countless times learn more about your feelings from your fears and the way you fight than you learn about each other by talking.” Kagome thought she saw him smile a little at her; though she had no chance to react or think upon this. Thundering voices echoed the corridor outside her cell, then shadows fell and the key turned in her cell door. Three leering Deorcnes warriors stood in the doorway, a torch burning in one of their hands, they grinned drunkenly as they stared maliciously at the priestess and the demon lord.  
  
“Would look at that sordid thing,” said one warrior to the other, referring to Kagome, “I bet everyone thinks you’re so _innocent_ and _pure_ , but we _know_ what you’ve done…with that half-demon, you filthy whore!” Stumblingly advancing upon her, the taller, darker warrior grabbed hold of her chains and yanked her up by them. He stood head and shoulders above her, and she tried to avoid that immoral gaze but her held her face and looked at her in the eyes.  
“Nothing but filth and _demon_ inside you now! You don’t deserve to be _human_!” yelled the man at her, slapping her face. Kagome screamed, her hands clasping over her bruised cheek in agony, that hit was unrestrained, she felt a little dizzy. “Oh, so you do _feel_ pain do you, I thought demons were too _tough_ to feel it!” He hit her again, but harder this time.  
“I’m human you ass-hole! Leave me alone!” she screamed at them. The third man kicked her in the stomach and she crumbled under the agony, curling into herself on the ground.  
“Who said you could speak, little demon’s whore!” they shouted at her, making her wince, as she pulled her arms round her aching stomach, but as they went to kick her again, Sesshomaru turned on them.  
“Leave her alone, you pitiful bastards!” he yelled, in his mortal form he was always tranquil and rarely allowed his demon within to surface, save for now.  
“Oh, the ‘ _Mighty Demon Lord_ ’ doesn’t want to be left out!” The first man grabbed his torch and threw it at Sesshomaru, forgetting Kagome momentarily as they laughed and jeered, watching Sesshomaru chained helplessly to the ground, catching fire.  
“NO!” yelled Kagome furiously, “LEAVE HIM ALONE! STOP IT!!!” The men ignored her. Suddenly, anger rose up inside her. She screamed in fear for Sesshomaru as the flames caught him, hearing him growl in agony, she may dislike the demon, but _no one_ deserved to die like that. As her scream tore through her throat, she felt a insurmountable power rise within her, though it felt foreign, like it wasn’t hers, she did not know it, but it was hers, that the kiss stolen from Inuyasha’s bloody lips had snatched away energy from him, and unconsciously, she used it to release her previously inaccessible Priestess powers.  
  
Kagome, powered by this foreign force, ripped the chains from the wall, the iron flew forwards form the force, knocking the men to the floor. The bars between her prison and Sesshomaru seemed to melt away as she approached them, and the priestess grabbed the blanket which lay in her cell, throwing it over Sesshomaru, extinguishing the flames. The drunken warriors clumsily recovered themselves, dragging Kagome off Sesshomaru and kicked her hard in the stomach.  
“See! You’re not even a faithful piece of demon filth!” yelled one as he kicked her again, in the same place, “with the _brother_ now are you?” They beat her so badly she thought she would die; she screamed in agony, desperate for Inuyasha to hear her, praying he was nearby. Unknowingly to her, he was far away, but he could hear her…  
  
Then the door to Sesshomaru’s cell swung open, other (more sober) warriors entered, concerned about the screaming. Two seized Kagome by her arms, dragging her carelessly and from the cell as three more grabbed the badly burned demon lord. Kagome saw out of the corner of her eye, the head warrior cutting off the heads of her attackers. Her energy had gone now, disappeared as if it never was; and she was left wondering where she got it from as they forced her and Sesshomaru from the dungeons  


* * *

Inuyasha let his hands away from his head, in the castle as the soldiers had come to Kagome’s aid; her screams had stopped, and therefore so did Inuyasha’s migraine.  
“What was it Inuyasha?” asked Shippo.  
“It was Kagome, something was hurting her and I heard her screaming…it was like I was right there with her…but then it stopped,” they all looked to Divinus expectantly, a distant smile on her pale lips.  
“The kiss again,” she said, “the Shikon jewel took action when you kissed and when your blood mixed that you must have got a connection with her, she isn’t powerful enough to consciously operate her priestess powers, but using a demon’s blood combined with the Sacred Jewel… _that_ could allow her a temporary access to that power.”  
  
“But still, how do we get to Kagome?” asked Miroku impatiently, “Not to tear everyone’s attention away from Kagome’s dazzling abilities but every moment that slips away we get closer to Kagome’s death and we have nothing to get us there quick enough.”  
“Okay Miroku, take a breath now,” said Sango, patting him on the back, the sarcasm in her own voice easing the quivering fear of losing a friend she loved like a sister slightly. Divinus pondered silently for a while, and then ventured for speech once more.  
“The fastest transport in Glisnia is _Immediate Locality_ ,” she replied.  
“What the hell is that?” Sango and Inuyasha asked together.  
“It’s when a group of people gather their energy, unite in a sacred circle, say the specified incantation and then are located to a certain place if they all concentrate on it hard enough,” she explained.  
“Show us how to do it,” demanded Inuyasha, normally his rudeness would annoy Divinus, but his determined devotion was pleasing her immensely.  
“Follow me,” the woman directed.  
  
Taking the crystal torch from the wall outside her throne room door, Divinus led them down the spiralling stairs. But just as they reached the bottom, Inuyasha and the others moved to exit the tower when Divinus called them back, “this way,” she guided them through a dark tunnel which Inuyasha had not noticed on his way up here; the only light was radiating from the torch in her hand. The tunnel seemed to stretch on for miles, Inuyasha thought Kagome might be dead or worse by the time they reached the end, but they did not need to get to the end. Divinus stopped suddenly, by a random section of wall and began to count the black bricks upon it, she counted quietly to herself. “Seven left, three down, one…two…three to the right and ‘X’ marks the spot,” she scratched a large ‘X’ on the brick she counted to with the crystal and the walls began to slide in all different directions. Before they knew it; what had been forward and backward were now dead ends, and the only way forward was where the wall Divinus was previously examining had been moments before.  
  
The passage here was alight with a range of crystals along the walls, though the floor was still dirt and the walls and ceiling still stone. Divinus lead them further on; until they reached a large, circular chamber, lit by six flaming torches, each a different colour. In the centre of the room was a large, concrete circle, with six, large ‘medallions’ embedded in the concrete forming another smaller circle. “Alright, stand where I tell you, and do not speak unless in tell you to or it will not work correctly,” ordered Divinus. She took Inuyasha by the arms and stood him on the blue medallion, Sango was stood on the yellow, Miroku on the orange, Shippo was purple, Kilala was green and Rin was red. Then Divinus took from the walls the six flaming, crystal torches, and handed each one to the person standing on the appropriate coloured medallion; Rin and Shippo tried not to laugh as Kilala transformed with a fiery blaze, clamping her jaws carefully around the torch, looking unhelpfully amusing whilst doing so.  
  
“You must each only speak if you are told to repeat what I say,” explained Divinus.  
“Aren’t you coming?” asked Shippo curiously  
“No, there are only six medallions, besides; you only need each other for this journey.” Her words puzzled them, but she continued. “Now, clear your minds completely and repeat after me: _Portare luminso crystallos hiatare accoome portare_ ,” the other’s chants echoed round the room as they repeated Divinus in unison, while Kilala could only repeat it in her head, as she couldn’t talk. _What a load of crap,_ thought Inuyasha. “INUYASHA!” snapped Divinus, as a mother might do a child, “CONCENTRATE!” Inuyasha blushed, and did as he was told. All heat suddenly withdrew from the room, a colddark descending upon them. “Now, place your crystals in the channel before you in your medallions, quick now!” They did so; the room began to spin wildly about them. “Don’t look at the walls, do as I say, join hands – or for those who do not have hands just connect bodies with those surrounding you; do not look at each other, think only of your destination and gaze fixedly at your medallion, anyone who looks up will be left here.”  
  
They joined hands, besides Kilala for whom Sango and Inuyasha leant across to touch her. They did as they were told and thought constantly of the castle Rin had spoken of; she had described it as best she could, and they fixed that image of the castle in their minds and did not look up. If they had, they would have seen Divinus step out of the circle and materialise into the spinning abyss around them. Moments later the spinning had subsided, they were holding hands in a circle, before menacingly desolate ruins of a castle, in the darkness; and where the stone had been around them and beneath their feet there was only dirt and thick air, and Divinus was gone.  
  
  
TBC


	13. Blood and Sacrifice

**Blood and Sacrifice**  
-Thirteen-  
  
  
The soldiers dragged Sesshomaru and Kagome into an enormous chamber. The moonlight shone in from the balcony, dosing two stone tables that sat in the middle of the room with its ethereal light. Y’leare signalled for the humans to chain the demon lord to the wall of the room. They complied, as the others threw Kagome at her feet. The priestess shuddered at the unbridled fury in those aged eyes, flinching when the witch yanked her carelessly to her feet. The witch was furious with Sceaduwe.  
  
“As if enough blood had not been spilt as it was! Can you not even control your own men?! What is the meaning of this?!” Sceaduwe, masking his uneasiness at her fury with a ‘Sesshomaru-like’ impassiveness, tried to keep his voice casual.  
“The offenders have been dealt with, and she lost little blood in the process in any case. Why so upset for her welfare? Just bleed her already; let us get this over with.”  
“Yes,” replied Y’leare with a false, croaky sweetness, “tie her to this table here,” she ordered. As the men obeyed swiftly, she made her way to the second table, seizing a slightly curved dagger from the selection of blades lying there. Admiring the dangerous glint of its razor edge and the ancient runes engraved in its metal with manic eyes, the witch turned to face Kagome, approaching her slowly. “Excellent all is in place. All we need is the moonlight…and the hanyou.” Kagome’s eyes widened in horror at the evil grin that spread across Y’leare’s face when she spoke of Inuyasha. She didn’t know whether she was to dare to hope that he would or wouldn’t appear, neither scenario had a good outcome.  


***

Meanwhile, far below, Inuyasha dragged his claws into the vines, slowly crawling up the building, daring to cling tighter to the make-shift rope, leaning out slightly to check his companions were all following. He grunted as Rin’s arms wrapped tighter round his neck, her legs biting into his sides from where he carried her on his back. “Geez, kid loosen the grip a little, eh?” he growled quietly, ascending the wall a little quicker.  
“Sorry,” she muttered, apologetically, trying her hardest not to look down. She could _guess_ just how far above the ground they were right now.  
“I ain’t gunna drop you, stop panicking,” he assured gruffly, _Geez, even Kagome never fussed this much the first time I carried her_ , he mentally griped, his heart clenching tightly at the recollection of those pained screams he’d heard from her before, within these very walls. _I’m coming Kagome, just hold out a little longer…  
  
_ Rin squeeled in his ears as he hooked his arms over the ledge of the lowest window, hia clawed toes gripping onto the wall as he swung himself at the girl into the room beyond. Hastily dropping the girl to her feet, mentally apologising to his ears for letting her scream in them, Inuyasha glanced around the room. “The guard tower, eh? Well that was lucky.” He roused from his thoughts as two leather clad arms shot round the windowsill, heavgn human breath sounding in his ears. Smirking boastfully that he hadn’t even broken a sweat, Inuyasha seized Sango’s forearms, helping her through the window. “A little too much for you to handle Demon slayer?” he asked cockily, the woman narrowed her eyes.  
“Well some of us can’t heal in an instant, whilst the same majority in our odd little group are still sore from the _previous_ battle, Inuyasha.” Waving off her reply, Inuyasha tapped his claws impatiently on his arm. As the last of them climbed in, they stopped, huddled together and regaining their breath, waiting for the word from Inuyasha.  
“They definitely expect us if I’m one of their _ingredients_ to this sick little spell their cookin’ up, so weapons ready and be prepared.” Miroku rolled his eyes teasingly at his commanding voice, receiving a sharp elbow from the demon slayer at his side.  
“What about me?” Rin asked. “I don’t have a weapon.”  
“You won’t need one, stick by me and you’ll be fine,” explained Inuyasha, betraying a little more sympathy than he’d first intended, “ready?” He asked the others quietly as he opened the door to the corridor, the dimness from the current chamber leading on to a cooler, more foreboding dark. They nodded nervously and Inuyasha’s clawed hand seized Rin’s arm, holding the girl behind him, before leading them into the shadowy halls ahead of them.  
  
Nothing happened. No guards, no demons, _nothing_ , until they reached the end of the corridor. Shippo pounced onto Miroku’s shoulder in fear and Rin huddled further behind Inuyasha, the half-demon drawing Tetsusaiga slowly, the blade glowing vibrantly against the darkness. Suddenly the once extinguished torches came alive; blinding flames burning brightly as a deafening murmur rang form the non-existent shadows. It was an ambush. What seemed like hundreds of Deorcnes warriors came out of nowhere. The small group shuddered back into each other, the small circle faltering as they advanced.  
  
They met in a clashing collision, Inuyasha jolted back by the sheer force of dozens of them slamming into him at once. A shrill scream tore from Rin’s throat as the half-demon cried out as a blade cut into him, grazing his shoulder in a vicious gash.  
“Inuyasha!” The said half-demon looked as the demon slayer called his name. Sango slung her boomerang forward and cleared a path for Inuyasha. “Run, go and save Kagome, we’ll beat them back!” yelled Sango to Inuyasha who was ahead of them and out of the masses. Inuyasha nodded in reply, holding his friend’s gaze for a fleeting moment, before looking down to Rin, who was at his side.  
“Ready?” he asked Rin, yanking her onto his back and (without waiting for a response) darted full speed along the corridor. “Which way next?” he called back to her, pushing his friends from his mind, simply praying they would be okay, as unlikely as that would be.  
“Turn this left,” she replied, her eyes hurting from the great speed, shutting her eyes tightly. She felt a little sick.  


***

Back in the sacrifice chamber, Y’leare stood over Kagome, holding the knife in her hands, gnarled fingers often tracing over the flat side of the blade and the carvings within it.  
“Well girl, it looks as if your half-demon’s cowardice will save you, after all; if I don’t spill his blood you won’t die.” Kagome didn’t listen, she knew Inuyasha would come for her, he always did. But by trying to save her, he was killing her himself. “Well I might as well start now,” said Y’leare, “girl, give yourself up and I will let your _precious_ half-demon keep his miserable life.”  
“You’re a liar,” the priestess growled quietly.  
“I do no such thing. If you sacrifice yourself – if you surrender to your fate and renounce your blood bond to him then the need for his blood to be spilled is not longer required!”  
“I’m not as stupid as you think I am, old _witch_ ,” Kagome said calmly; Y’leare raised her arm to strike, but stopped. A crooked grin reached her wrinkled lips. It made Kagome shudder.  
“I see what you are trying to do; you think that if you aggravate me enough I will lose my temper and strike you, drawing more blood so the ritual will no longer work, well here’s news for you. I _am_ going to have your blood on my hands, every last drop of it; all in good time...”  
“ _Time_? How much _time_ do you think you have before Inuyasha shows up and has _your_ blood on his hands?” Kagome continued, the girl’s confident calmness irritated the witch. Such devoted confidence that humans held for each other – _usually_ misplaced. It was infuriating! Clenching the dagger in her hand she pressed it to Kagome’s vulnerable throat.  
“I am _this_ close to slitting your throat… _demon_ devoted _whore_!” The priestess swallowed nervously against the blade, but still, _‘demon’, ‘whore’, ‘traitor’_ , it was hardly the first time she’d been on the receiving end of those names, nor was it the first time they only served to enrage her further.  
“ _Gods_ , like I haven’t heard that before today,” continued Kagome in a calm tone, “That’s all you people _say_. Pre-judging not only half-breeds but those who dare to love them too? The way you see things, there’s _you_ and everybody else. Well the way _I_ see it, I’d rather be with everybody else than a decrepit, malicious old _witch_ like you.” Sesshomaru almost grinned at Kagome’s voice, a lot like his own usual tone; but Y’leare was furious. An enraged scream tore from her aged throat, the dagger drawing high above Kagome’s restrained form, descending swiftly, but had no chance to use it.  
  
The great iron doors to the room burst open, and there in the doorway stood Inuyasha and Rin. Inuyasha dashed forwards, leaping clear over Kagome as his claws swiped through the air, knocking Y’leare flying and the dagger out of her hand. As she recovered herself Inuyasha ran to Kagome’s side. His breath panting rapidly past his lips.  
“I knew you’d come and get me,” she practically sobbed as he approached her, stroking her face almost lovingly with the backs of his claws.  
“Don’t I always?” he replied smiling at seeing her alive. _Thank goodness I got here in time…  
  
_ Suddenly Inuyasha yelped as he felt a sharp tug on the hair, tilting his head backwards to expose his neck, Sceaduwe pressing a knife to his throat.  
“NO!” screamed Kagome. Nearby, Y’leare snatched up her dagger, advancing on the still restrained priestess.  
“ _Now_ then, you putrid demon’s whore, give me your life or I will kill the half-demon,” she muttered evilly.  
“Kagome don’t! It’s a trick! Don’t listen to her!” yelled Inuyasha, the knife in Sceaduwe’s hand pressing tighter against his throat so he couldn’t talk for fear of it cutting into him.  
“Tick, tick, tick, tick,” taunted Y’leare, “come on _girl_ you surely do not want him to die now do you?” asked Y’leare, Kagome did not answer; she looked into Inuyasha’s eyes which pleaded her to not answer. “Oh well if you are sure,” Y’leare made a swift signal to Sceaduwe and he lifted the knife to do its worst. Inuyasha closed his eyes tight, waiting for the blow, but it didn’t come.  
“NO! Don’t kill him, take me instead!” Kagome cried, tears spilling down her face. Inuyasha’s heart sank, they had tricked her. They knew her heart would sacrifice herself for him, but now all they needed from Inuyasha was his blood.  
  
Before he could open his eyes, a hazy vision fell before them; he sat at the well, golden gaze penetrating the dimness of the Bone-eater’s well as he waited, waited for Kagome, only she didn’t come. The image flashed forward, he was at Kagome’s house, she answered the door to him, her bedroom window usually always open to him was closed on him coldly. She was older, no longer her small, wily, seventeen-year-old self, but a grown, middle-aged woman, she had moved on. And where did that leave him? His worst fears – that Kagome would eventually realise that he was a half-demon, nothing more, and go home. Grow up, grow old, without him. Immortality may be a gift to some, but without _someone_ , it was a bitter, lonely curse.  
  
Suddenly another image hit his eyes, though this seemed… _different_ …maybe it was real. It was Kikyo. She stood before him, _herself,_ not the cold, lifeless embodiment of clay and dirt. Those strangely warm, delicate fingers stroked his face. Then she spoke. A cool, dulcet sound he used to know, free of malice and bitterness.  
“I loved you Inuyasha,” she said, her long, straight, black locks hanging loosely over her shoulders. He could feel her breath against his skin, feel her _warmth_. Her hair, it was touching him. He could _smell_ her!  
“No,” said Inuyasha quietly.  
“And _you_ loved me.”  
“No,” he repeated, closing his eyes, blocking out the woman before him.  
“Forget all that has passed, forget everything you’ve ever felt; and just…” she held his face with her hands and he opened his eyes, finding himself staring directly at her, the way he once used to, back in a time where they had held each other, back in a time where they were in love; “…love me.”  
“No.”  
“Forget,” she repeated, her voice echoed round his head, his past self, his life without Kagome edged forward and his present life, his present feelings slipped further and further out of his reach.  
  
“Do you love me?” the priestess asked, Inuyasha did not answer her, “do you love me enough to forget?” His heart was smothered by her, everything in the last three years slipped away, even Kagome’s name had left him now. But he still felt something deep down, he felt emptiness whenever he looked at Kikyo; a feeling that something was missing, a dark hole where something had been ripped out, the frayed edges of his heart calling distantly to what was slowly dragged free from him. What was it? His memories were smothering him, _telling_ him to say ‘yes’ but he didn’t. Something stronger in his heart was calling, _screaming_ , louder than Kikyo’s voice, louder than his memories; he could hear it getting louder and louder. His head throbbed with the suddenly deafening word.  
“INUYASHA!” He felt Kikyo touch his face, but as he looked at her, the voice grew stronger than ever, he uttered something although it was not the word his mind told him; not ‘yes’ at all.  
“Kagome…” he whispered dully, more of a question than a statement.  
  
Suddenly, Kikyo fell away, his present life returning to him, leaving him standing beside Kagome and under the threat of Sceaduwe’s knife once more. “It’s all a lie, you don’t need my blood at all,” he growled huskily against the dangerous pressure on his Adam’s apple. “In order to release my hold on Kagome’s spirit you need me to forsake her, _forget_ her,” concluded Inuyasha, “don’t you?” Y’leare and Sceaduwe’s faces went pale and horrified. “Well I’m not going to, I don’t believe your _stupid_ illusions and I don’t love Kikyo; stop trying to get me to give Kagome’s life to you because I won’t!”  
“Kill him!” spat Y’leare, but as Sceaduwe moved the blade to cut Inuyasha’s throat for the second time, through the doors charged their cavalry. Sango threw her Hirakoitsu at Sceaduwe, the man screaming in agony as he collapsed to the ground, Inuyasha was free. The kitsune pounced onto Kilala’s back as she transformed in a fiery blaze, the cat-demon storming into the chamber as Miroku followed after them. Deorcnes warriors dropped under the assault before Y’leare’s very eyes, and the monk watched from the corner of his eye as she ran for the balcony. Moving to chase after her Inuyasha turned his head when Sango and Miroku drew level with him.  
“You get Kagome out,” said Sango, gesturing towards her friend.  
“We’ll deal with the old woman,” the monk agreed. Inuyasha drew back into the chamber, trusting his friends to pursue Y’leare.  
  
Inuyasha darted back to Kagome’s side, his claws easily slashing through the ties that bound her to the table and dragging her to the floor away from the flying arrows and the battle. A little blush dusted his cheeks as she fell awkwardly into his lap.  
“Inuyasha, you’re okay,” she cried, wrapping her arms round him in a desperate embrace, he pulled away from her slightly so he could look at her.  
“Kagome this isn’t the perfect time for what I have to tell you, but I need you to help me,” he explained almost casually. The priestess cocked a brow.  
“What is it?”  
“I need you to listen, to know something…” Inuyasha couldn’t form the words, Kagome sat in front of him, waiting for him to speak, but he didn’t know what to say.  
“Inuyasha, you’re hurt,” she said, stroking the thin cut on his throat, where Sceaduwe had held the knife, taking her hand gently from the scratch he held it tightly, not releasing it. _Was_ there any easy way to say it? He supposed, it always seemed so casual and simple, the words that is, but now it came to saying them, he was going blank…  
  
“I’m fine, it’s just a scratch,” then he looked at her face, blood had remained on her mouth; where the warrior had kicked her, and she held her stomach with her other arm. “What did those bastards do to you?” he asked quietly, even as the battle commenced around them. He stroked her hair softly, tucking it behind her ear carefully.  
“They just…they attacked Sesshomaru and me…” she explained quietly, her words faltering as she held her hand to her mouth. She’d been so worried before she’d not thought about it much, but now it…it hurt to _speak_.  
“You’re okay now, I’m here,” he said, soothingly, very unlike himself, holding her hands in his, but still could not say what he needed to say to her.  
“Inuyasha are you okay?” she asked him.  
“I’m fine,” he replied, feeling incredibly stupid. “I’ve never felt better.”  
“You don’t have to be sarcastic-”  
“-It wasn’t sarcasm,” he argued, fighting to keep his voice even and not spoil his _‘moment’_ by fighting with her. “Kagome I…I’ve been okay for a long time, after those dark years of my life…you’re the light than shines through constantly. You’re the one who makes all this blood, all this _suffering_ worth while… Every day, in every way I’m becoming a better person, and that’s all down to you… It’s down to the way you always make the worst days worth living…”  
  
He continued, trying to find the strength to say those three words “I’m so scared I might lose you and I…I'm finding...I'm finding that I don't get angry as much, and I don't shout as much...and I - I'm finding I'm doing it to try and make you happy.” Tears began to fill Kagome’s eyes at his husky words, her breath catching in her throat. “I'm finding that I need you; _not_ to find the Jewel shards, not to have something to fight for. I need _you_ because I can’t live without you… All this time and I'm only just realising...I'm in love you.” Kagome smiled teary smile, her lips leaning in to meet his, but before their lips met she jumped back in shock, a fearfully little gasp rousing from her. A brilliant light radiated from Inuyasha and everyone in the chamber froze to look. Inuyasha rose into the air and the light flowed over and into his body. His skin hummed dully, tingling all over, fleetingly, glowing brightly, and then his body changed. Silver hair grew black and he was human, momentarily, then he was demon with eyes of blood red, before the crimson shade to usually golden orbs and lilac crests faded, and he was Inuyasha again.  
  
“The Kikeitarou-Anaka,” Sango muttered distantly to Miroku as they stood motionless, mid-fight with Y’leare on the balcony.  
“I guess he finally told her,” said Miroku with that same grin. But then Y’leare seized her chance. Snatching up a fallen arrow a cry of fury sounded as she plunged it into Sango’s shoulder. Miroku spun on his heel round at Sango’s scream, and slashed violently at Y’leare with a sword he grabbed from the ground.  
  
Kagome sat at Inuyasha’s feet, both happy and shocked, she, after all didn’t know what was happening.  
“Inuyasha?” she whispered anxiously. Inuyasha dropped to his knees at her side, still feeling the power pulse through his veins. It was so powerful, practically intoxicating.  
“It’s okay,” he assured her, gasping for breath. Kagome frowned slightly, leaning forward to touch his shoulder skittishly.  
“ _'Okay'?_ But you...you were _glowing_. What the...what just happened?” Reaching forwards to embrace her as fiercely as he dared, Inuyasha felt her skin burning with flushed awkwardness as he brushed his face against the side of her neck, breathing her in deeply. How could he ever have doubted this? Doubted her? Compared to this radiating bliss that seemed to completely overthrow him, everything else was meaningless. _Kikyo?_ She didn't even _begin_ to compare! This - _this_ was love, he just _knew_ it. Why else would he feel like this? So warm and practically invincible - like the world could just fall away and he wouldn't care, as long as he had her - _His_ Kagome, he couldn't see her any other way. Had he really been so stupid? So _blind_ before? All those times he'd insulted her and blatantly tossed aside her selfless affection, _run off_ with Kikyo...he'd been a fool, he could see that now. Kikyo, he might have loved her once, but not anymore. Not the woman who wanted to drag him to hell to die with her, not when this girl, this _woman_ before him captured him so powerfully. The woman that freed him from that fifty-year-long spell. The woman that wanted to _live_ with him, and had stayed with him through _everything_ that everyone else would have left him with. The woman he'd found himself so desperately in love with...  
  
Blood and battle raged around them, but none of that mattered, not really, not anymore. Her voice sounded softly in his ears, bringing him back down from his state of unaware, and back into that room, with her...  
“Inuyasha?” she asked again raggedly, he throat still a little sore, “are you sure you're alright? You're just-” his abrupt kiss swallowed her words, clawed fingers reaching into her hair at the back of her head, embracing her with all of his soul, like he'd _never_ done before. Timid, clumsy movements of his mouth against hers, not venturing as further than the ocassional sweep of his daring tongue over hers. Was this really Kagome he was kissing? He felt so overpowered, and yet so strong. This...it felt so right and yet his skin flushed with embarrassment. And yet he couldn't pull away either...  
  
Drawing back just enough to look into her eyes, he brushed a reassuring claw lightly over her kiss-flushed lips. “Don't worry about me...I've never felt better...” he growled quietly, scarcely blinking with the sincere need to look into her eyes. He felt her slim fingers tighten on the shoulders of his kimono, the fabric wrinkling slightly under her grip.  
“Me neither...I...I've loved you too...for a long time...” she muttered, practically inaudible with embarrassment, cheeks flushing darkly. How could it be so sinfully wonderful to love this woman so much? Right now, when everything else around them was crumbling...? _That_ thought drew him back to the rest of the world... _everything_ else...? Prising her fingers gently off him, he offered her a warm smile, squeezing her hands gently. “The others are in trouble, I need to help them, but I’m okay now - _we're_ okay now... _right_?.” Not really sure if she believed what he was implying, she nodded dumbly, slighty in awe of his drastic attitude change. “There will be...time for... _this_ later,” he assured her, getting to his feet slowly, “Kagome, don’t move from here, understand?” He said to her softly. Kagome nodded hesitantly and he handed her Tetsusaiga.  
“But you need it!” she protested.  
“No, not any more,” he said, walking into the battle.  
  
As a Deorcnes warrior swiped Shippo from Kilala’s back, weapon descending upon the kitsune, Inuyasha charged in. Within a second, the warriors arm fell to the floor and he screamed in agony as he collapsed onto the floor beside it. Plucking up Shippo and dropping him under the protection of Kagome and the Tetsusaiga, he sharp eyes spied Sango lying with an arrow in her shoulder on the balcony; Miroku thrashing in anger at Y’leare. Inuyasha made to help his friend, as Miroku fell to the floor under the impact of the energy blast launched at him by the witch. But Inuyasha was stopped.  
  
Rin had escaped the vision of everyone in the room during all the commotion, heading directly for Sesshomaru, grabbing a nearby dagger and cutting Sesshomaru down from the wall, he stooped down beside Rin.  
“Are you well?” he asked her, not looking at her, but at Inuyasha.  
“I’m fine my lord, but we have to get out of here,” replied Rin.  
“No, I have some unfinished business,” said Sesshomaru, getting up and dashing at Inuyasha, smacking him full force in the head.  
  
The blow caught Inuyasha off guard and he skidded into the wall.  
“What the hell was that for you bastard?” he yelled, rubbing his head, “we have more important things to worry about than us!”  
“Nothing exceeds my desire to kill you,” Sesshomaru retorted, charging at him, the sword Tokijin in hand. “Oh no, what now brother?” the demon lord breathed almost sarcastically, “You wield no sword of our father, Tetsusaiga cannot save you.”  
“I don’t need it too!” Inuyasha replied angrily, kicking his brother away from him. Sesshomaru wiped the blood from his mouth, surprised that Inuyasha could hurt him at all.  
“You surprise me greatly,” said Sesshomaru coolly, “but your energy will burn out if you carry on at this accelerated rate.”  
“Will it?” Inuyasha yelled this rhetorical question, kicking Sesshomaru again. “My new power comes from _love_ , it’s powered by it, if that never burns out-” he smacked Sesshomaru again, “-how can my power?” Sesshomaru looked up, through blood into his brother’s face with wonder, then he understood.  
“You gained the Kikeitarou-Anaka.” Inuyasha looked at his brother with disgust. For once _he_ was the one on top, while Sesshomaru was crumpled to his knees in blood.  
“You don’t even _deserve_ to be killed with our father’s sword,” said Inuyasha, and he kicked his brother again. But their battle was stopped.  
  
Suddenly Sceaduwe slammed into his side, knocking Inuyasha into the wall, set upon in seconds.  
“You having the Kikeitarou-Anaka only _increases_ your bloods worth!” Sceaduwe spat, he held the sacred dagger in his hand. “Your power is _mine_!” All the half-demon could do was wince and cry out in agony as the blade plunged into his chest. Inuyasha screamed as the dagger drew out his energy into Sceaduwe.  
“NO!” Kagome cried, she reached for a warrior’s bow lying nearby and aimed straight at Sceaduwe. She drew back the arrow against the bowstring, but it missed, a warrior hit her just as she let fly the arrow, but Kilala, who was watching, kicked a shield into the air, and deflected the arrow back onto its true path. It struck Sceaduwe’s heart.  
  
Sceaduwe dropped to the ground, crumpled up, blood streaming from his wound, before he turned over, not moving. Inuyasha was paralysed in pain, looking down at where the blade was stuck in him, trying to lift his arms to remove it, but he couldn’t. Kagome ran over to him, looking the wound over and did what he couldn’t; she grabbed the dagger and pulled it sharply from Inuyasha’s body, making him scream again. Normally the knife would have sealed the wound, and pulling it free wouldn’t have been advisable, but if Inuyasha could heal quickly, he stood a chance. The half-demon dropped into Kagome’s arms as his attempt at standing failed.  
“Are you okay?” she asked him tearfully, wiping the blood away that now poured from his mouth due to the wound in his stomach; Inuyasha raised his arm shakily, and stroked her tears away.  
“It’s okay,” he told her hoarsely, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth, “I saved you tonight, that’s all I wanted to do…” She held his hand tight against her cheek as it attempted to fall.  
“NO! Inuyasha please don’t die!” she screamed. The battle continued distantly around her, no one had noticed what was going on as Inuyasha lay in Kagome’s arms.  
“I love you,” he whispered, before his hand dropped from where he had held it in hers, and his eyes closed for the last time.  
“Inuyasha?” She whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. She touched his face, he made no reaction…he was gone.  
  
She lay, crying beside his dead body, an emptiness spreading over her, she didn’t care any longer that people were dying around her. That Shippo lay unconscious and unprotected nearby, or that Miroku and Sango fought a loosing battle against Y’leare. All she cared about was the corpse of Inuyasha lying beside her.  
  
Then as she cried she saw something shimmer next to her, it was the dagger. She picked it up and wiped the blood away from it, watching the light catch in the ancient runes carved into the blade, it was the sacrificial dagger. Hope spread over her. Y’leare said that in order for Kagome to die in the sacrifice Inuyasha needed to let her go, so his body couldn’t hold her here, because their blood had mixed they were connected, and that she could only be killed in the ritual with _this_ knife if Inuyasha forsook her. She had an idea. Running the dagger sharply along her palm, blood ran from it, and she held her bleeding hand to Inuyasha’s wound. “Please,” she whispered to him, praying he’d answer. If she formed this bond with him, since the wound was cut with this knife, he might stand a chance. “Please Inuyasha…let me hold you here.” Nothing happened, Inuyasha continued to lay lifeless at her side.  
  
“Please,” she continued, tears still falling, “come back to me, I need you.” He still didn’t move. “I’m not letting go until you come back.” Then, her blood dripped into Inuyasha’s wound, falling into his blood. She hugged his dead body against her, tears seeping onto blood-stained silver hair. She’d had lost him. Then Kagome felt a hand stroke her hair; she knew it was Sango, trying to console her, she paid no attention to her.  
“You are crying…for me?” She heard his voice, releasing her grip and staring into his face. His golden eyes opened as she gazed at him; it was not Sango, it was Inuyasha.  
  
“What happened? I thought I was dead,” he sounded raspy, confused.  
“You were, but I guess my blood held you here, like you held me here,” she replied, still not believing he as here, that he was breathing.  
“You saved me?” he asked her, smiling up at her through the blood that dripped from his mouth.  
“I had to…I’d never let you go without a fight,” she smiled, her eyes still glassy hugging him tight. But Inuyasha saw then, all around them, the battle commencing between his friends and the enemy. He jumped up.  
“Go and protect Shippo, I need to save the others.” Not truly wanting to leave Kagome’s side, he let go of her at the last possible moment, running to Kilala’s side as she fought alone with all of the remaining Deorcnes warriors that were streaming in from the hall.  
  
On the balcony, Y’leare glared evilly at Miroku, as he stood, daring to oppose her.  
“How _dare_ you attempt to fight me?”  
“You won’t kill her!” Yelled Miroku, “you may kill _me_ , but I won’t let you hurt her!”  
“By the _Gods_ , not _another_ lovesick pup!” Y’leare snarled shoving Miroku away from her with surprising strength. “You, the half-demon, Sesshomaru you are all the same, driven and blinded by your passion for human women!”  
“This is why evil always loses,” yelled Miroku as he smacked Y’leare with his staff, “you are so full of the love of yourselves and greed for power; you forget that _we_ are powered by an eternal source,” he struck her again, “love of others!” But Y’leare caught the blow this time, throwing Miroku backwards into the wall. He gasped in pain.  
“It is not going to stop me killing you though is it?” spat Y’leare as she held a dagger above Miroku.  
  
Suddenly Sango leapt up behind Y’leare, a blade springing from her sleeve.  
“No, _I_ am!” she screamed, driving the blade through Y’leare’s shoulder. The witch spun round in pain, grabbed the blade and thrust it back up into Sango’s arm. The demon slayer fell to the floor in pain, hugging her bleeding arm as it hung limp and broken from her shoulder.  
“When will you understand _pitiful_ humans? This is _not_ a fairy tale! You will never beat me with _‘pure love’_!” Y’leare cackled evilly, but then Miroku took his chance. He seized Y’leare’s arm, twisting it round, making Y’leare stab herself through the stomach with her own dagger. She flailed her other arm at Miroku, but Sango acted quickly, and with her uninjured arm she grabbed the hirakoitsu, slicing off the Y’leare’s arm and swiftly stabbing her in the back. The three stood there, frozen for a moment in time. Miroku holding Y’leare’s dagger in her stomach, Sango kneeling on the floor, holding the boomerang in the witch’s back as the blood from her own arm dripped down her face. Then Y’leare collapsed, she was finished. Sango let her boomerang drop and she fell to the floor in exhaustion. Miroku ran to her side and held her in his arms.  
  
“We beat the her Sango, we won,” he said to her breathlessly.  
“Yeah, together,” Sango replied with a bloody smile, her eyes closing as she fell limp in his arms.  
“No! Sango wait, stay with me! Don’t die!” he yelled, tapping the side of her face with his hand. But she did not wake up. Tears welling in his dark blue eyes, he leant over her and kissed her. Her eyes shot open immediately and her face flushed crimson in embarrassment. As he saw she had awoken, he backed off slightly.  
“What was that for?” she asked quietly in amazement. Miroku smiled.  
“I don’t know,” he replied, “sort of feeling,” Sango smiled as well. The monk got to his feet, holding his hand out to help her up, she took hold of him with her uninjured hand, pulling him down to her level once more. “Umm, Sango what’re you doing?” he asked her, blushing. She shrugged, “Kagome and Inuyasha did it,” she said, making Miroku smile at the echo of his own words, “why don't we reap the benefits of intimacy?” Still smiling, she leant up to him, kissing him.  
  
Then he pulled her arm round his shoulder, assisting her in walking back into the room, whilst he held her boomerang and his staff loosely at his side.  
Kilala ripped the warriors apart, her heart racing, she hadn’t been in such a battle since Naraku was killed. As the last warrior collapsed under the impact of her fangs and claws, Miroku appeared in the balcony doorway, Sango’s uninjured arm round his shoulder as he helped her to stand, his staff and the Hirakoitsu in his other arm. Kilala raced over, covered in blood to Sango’s side to greet her. Kagome cradled Shippo in her arms as he opened his eyes.  
“Did we beat ‘em?” he asked in his high voice, Kagome smiled.  
“We did,” she replied gently, looking to Inuyasha as he approached her, his face smeared in his own blood. He dropped down at Kagome’s side.  
“We won,” he said. Pulling up her sleeve over her hand, she wiped the blood from the half-demon’s face, making him wince playfully at her cosseting. He smiled. As she lay her arm back round to support Shippo’s limp body. Inuyasha held her hand and stroked it softly.  
  
But then from behind, Sesshomaru approached, though as Inuyasha turned readying himself for Sesshomaru to strike, he found his brother’s hand extended to him. Inuyasha took it reluctantly.  
“You are right _brother_ , some things are more important than our fight,” he said, holding the unconscious Rin in his other arm. “This doesn’t mean peace between us; but I have seen closer what it is you care for,” he said, glancing to Kagome for a moment, and she smiled up at him, receiving a half-smile from him in return before he looked down at unconscious Rin in his arms, “what it is I care for; and I think you and I both require a respite in our feud.” Inuyasha nodded, and released his brother’s bloody hand. With that; Sesshomaru walked slowly from the room with Rin in his arms, disappearing into the halls beyond the door that now hung limply from its hinges.  
  
“Are we all okay?” Miroku asked his friends collectively, glancing round at them all.  
“I’m fine,” replied Inuyasha, wiping the blood from his hands.  
“We’re okay now,” Kagome answered, handing Tetsusaiga back over to Inuyasha.  
“We did it,” said Shippo, “it’s finally done!” The kitsune looked up at Kagome, nuzzling her appreciatively, obviously glad she was safe.  
“Not yet,” replied Inuyasha, looking at Kagome, “there’s one more thing I have to do.” Kagome smiled at Inuyasha, but as she did so, her exhaustion took her over at last, the world spinning slightly as she fell forwards into sleep, and Inuyasha’s ready embrace.  
  
  
TBC


	14. No Goodbyes

  
**No Goodbyes**  
-Fourteen-  
  
  
The priestess’ eyes fluttered open slowly, as her drowsy hazel gaze scanned the room she’d suddenly found herself in. Kagome recognised this room - the chamber she’d slept in with Shippo at Glisnia. Was it all over? Looking over herself hazily, she made out through the fog of sleep that still clung to her that she was dressed in her school uniform (which was now clean). Sighing heavily, her body complained at her movements as she turned onto her side, eyes widening a little at seeing Inuyasha perched beside her on the bed, Tetsusaiga leaning peacefully against his shoulder as usual.  
  
“How long was I asleep for?” she asked groggily, slowly sitting up.  
“Just over a day,” Inuyasha replied softly, regarding her a few moments before a clawed hand reached forward skittishly, unsure and fearing rejection, his fingers interlocking with hers. “How are you feeling?”  
“Surprisingly okay actually. Some bruises still but I’m feeling a lot better.” He looked sceptical…and worried.  
“I could feel it you know…well some of it. I’m not sure what happened - the Sacred Jewel, or just this _place_ ,” the half-demon muttered, eyes wandering momentarily around the room before meeting hers once more. “They…they hurt you pretty bad didn’t they? I’m so sorry; it’s all my fault I didn’t get to you sooner. Are you sure you’re okay?” She smirked uneasily, waving off his over-anxiousness.  
“Listen, don’t worry so much Inuyasha,” she said, laughing slightly, “I mean, I’m glad you worry and all but…it’s kinda suffocating, and I’m _really_ okay. I promise you.” Still seeming a little doubtful of that smile she offered, but he let it go… _for now_ …  
  
“But anyway, what about _you_?” the girl continued, “with the glowing, and the ‘funny power thing’. And how did we get out of Y’leare’s castle? What happened?” She asked curiously.  
“Well good-old Kilala,” Inuyasha explained with a smile, leaning back against the bed frame a little, “she managed to get us all back here safely.” _Hmm, maybe I’ll bring Kilala back some catnip, or maybe some fish,_ Kagome thought distantly, allowing Inuyasha to finish explaining to her all that had happened after she was taken, including every detail about the Kikeitarou-Anaka, all the while the half-demon watching her thoughtfully.  
“But where’s the power gone now? You don’t still have it do you?” she asked curiously, he smiled, and shook his head.  
“No, I gave it back to Divinus; I don’t think I would trust my demon side with it, or heck even _regular_ me with it all the time. And besides, if anyone like Sceaduwe of hell even _Naraku_ comes along and steals the power; they’ll be unstoppable,” he explained.  
“I see, so what you said to me in the battle, that was only to get the power?” she asked, her cheeriness dropping slightly.  
“Kagome-”  
“-No it’s okay, I understand; I know how you work Inuyasha, you hate expressing anything that remotely refers to how you fe-” Inuyasha leant over her, his lips pressing against hers shyly, interrupting her rambling. When he moved away she gazed at him in amazement.  
“That’s not how it works. I wouldn’t have _got_ the power if what I said wasn’t true,” he said, “and I can’t go through everything that I’ve ever said to you and clarify it for you; but every part of me feels the same way. I…love you,” he concluded, allowing the sudden silence between them to fall stagnant, getting to his feet slowly beside her, and readying himself to leave. Jumping to her feet suddenly, Kagome leapt over to him, fingers seizing the front of his kimono to pull him against her, returning the kiss.  
“I love you too,” she said, making him smile at her once more.  
  
Not long after, they appeared, hand in hand in Glisnia’s village square where Shippo sat on a transformed Kilala’s back, and Miroku stood beside Sango, arm in arm with her, her broken arm in a sling.  
“Are you sure you will not stay a little longer? You are more than welcome, all of you,” asked Divinus. Inuyasha shook his head, oddly polite as he gave Kagome a leg up onto Kilala’s back.  
“We need to get going, back to our own ground you know,” chimed in Miroku, accepting a hand up beside Sango. Reaching her hand out to help Inuyasha up, Kagome’s brow furrowed as Inuyasha turned slightly to look at the rear of the group of villagers they’d found themselves surrounded by. _Kazama,_ he thought, as if only just recalling the man who’d sought after Kagome, annoying him so thoroughly. Seeing what had caught his eye, Kagome looked warningly at him.  
“Inuyasha, don’t go starting trouble. You don’t need to prove anything by-”  
“-I know,” he said uncharacteristically simply, “just give me a minute.”  
  
As if seeing him coming, Kazama rolled his eyes with a dulled smirk. Normally Inuyasha would feel triumphant at that defeated look, but today he was feeling oddly… _considerate?_ “Are you okay?” asked Inuyasha, unusually thoughtful, feeling in a very good mood thanks to the kiss from Kagome this morning.  
“I’m okay,” he replied, slightly unconvincing, “I guess when your affection unrequited, it seems pretty pointless in mourning for what you can’t have.” Kazama looked up at Inuyasha from where he sat, then to Kagome who sat happily in front of Sango on Kilala’s back. “You’ll look after her won’t you?” asked Kazama, “she’s the kindest, sweetest thing you’ll ever know,” Inuyasha was surprised at Kazama’s nobleness.  
“I know,” the half-demon answered gruffly, a smirk playing at his lips, “I’ve dealt with people like you, demons, humans - _rivals_ from different sides… Just makes me come to appreciate the fact, that I’m the one that’s got her…” Kazama raised a brow.  
“Letting it rush to your head are you?”  
“But of course,” Inuyasha answered, purposefully (and jokingly) big-headed, “she chose me, a _half-demon_ out of all you pure-bloods.” That trademark cocky smile never faded from the half-demon’s lips.  
  
“Take care of her, life is short Inuyasha, make the most of every minute of it that you share with her.” Inuyasha glanced oddly as Kazama bowed slightly to him - _respectfully._ Returning the gesture, Inuyasha turned heading back towards Kagome.  
“Life ain’t short with me,” he called back; “ _we’re_ going to live for a good few millennia before we give up the ghost!”  
“That’s if someone doesn’t have enough of your cock-sure attitude and cuts you down to size before then,” the soldier responded, still smiling.  
“Keh,” Inuyasha muttered under his breath, stopping as Divinus stood in his path.  
  
Divinus offered him a low, curt bow, her hair sweeping forwards off her shoulders. Inuyasha glanced away from her frequently, high uncomfortable with her courtesy.  
“Your mother and father were great people, I saw the last of them too soon; see to it that I do not see the last of such equally great people,” said Divinus, referring to Inuyasha and his companions. Inuyasha nodded at her in reply.  
“Thank you,” said Kagome from her place on Kilala’s back, evidently saying what Inuyasha, in his nature (not in rudeness) would not, “for everything you’ve done for us.”  
“Make sure this isn’t the last time we meet; between us now, there should be no goodbyes.” Inuyasha smirked ever so slightly in response, turning away from her, and taking Kagome’s hand to get up onto Kilala’s back beside her and Shippo.  
  
“We will meet again, I can see it!” called Divinus; the villagers smiled and called their goodbye’s to the party; and with a wave of her smooth, delicate hand, flowing sparks of glitter appeared, the rapidly swelling brilliance spiralling around Inuyasha and the others. The glimmering light spun about them, enfolding them, taking them through the air so fast an almost unsettling queasiness brewed within them, as if they were overtaking time itself. When the glittering light faded from their sight, the shimmering city of Glisnia was gone, and they found themselves by the Dry Well once more.  
  
They all hopped off Kilala’s back, Kilala reverted back to the smaller kitten-like form, leaping into Kagome’s arms, expressing her goodbye, as the priestess made her way to the side of the well.  
“I’ll be back you know,” Kagome said, smiling brightly at her friends.  
“You’d better be,” joked Miroku, “I suppose after all this effort to get you back; it seems odd to be letting you go so soon.”  
“Hurry back!” demanded Sango, hugging her in a sisterly way yet again, using only her uninjured arm.  
“Don’t stay away too long,” ordered Shippo chirpily as he hopped off her shoulder and onto the ground.  
“I’ll see you all soon,” Kagome concluded, enjoying the act of Inuyasha taking her hand, helping her over the side of the well, like some precious, fragile creature, dropping downwards, Inuyasha at her side.  
  
That familiar feeling overcame them, like falling through space (if you could do such a thing); a strangely welcoming dark surrounded them, the wind rushing past their ears so that it was all she could hear. But within that darkness, shone those recognizable multicoloured lights, like stars in the distant galaxy, though oddly warming. She held onto Inuyasha’s hand tightly, realising that when they reached the other side, she would have to let go. As they fell the air seemed to change to that of the air above, it became heavier - different. But then the almost disorientating whirling sensation stopped and she and Inuyasha found themselves back in Kagome’s era - modern day Tokyo.  
  
After scaling the inside of the well, emerging up into the dim well house, they moved away from the well and stood side by side, silently for a moment. Peeping out of the great doors of the building, Kagome could see her grandfather pottering about, and her younger brother Sota; sitting on the porch of her home, trying to escape his lectures, whilst her mother was more than likely indoors preparing lunch.  
“Are you gonna be okay going from here alone?” asked Inuyasha, rousing her from her thoughts. She turned to face him. “Only…I don’t think your grand-father will appreciate that you’ve been off with _me_ for all this time.”  
“I’m okay, Grandpa is eccentric, but he means well. I even think the old guy _enjoys_ creating adventurous illnesses to tell my friend I have while I’m away,” Kagome assured him. “Well…goodbye, I’ll umm…see you soon,” she muttered, slightly nervous as to how to bid him farewell _now,_ moving to open the doors. But Inuyasha pulled her back, turning her to hold her before him momentarily, his mouth descending slowly towards hers, pressing gently against her lips chastely. She smiled as he released her, casting a nervous glance back at the well, her fingers ghosting over where his lips had been moments before, a pensive expression reaching her face.  
  
“What is it?” he asked. She was silent a moment before replying - _unsure_ …  
“I was just thinking… If my presence in your world caused Y’leare’s powers to fade, what else could it change?” Inuyasha frowned in confusion. “I mean…no matter how much I _want_ to belong there - to _you_ , I’m not _meant_ to be there, there have got to be consequences to that, right?” She looked up at him, still watching her even as she fell silent, his arms loosely round her.  
“Yeah, I guess…but with everything we do - that we’ve _done_ , things change, and mostly they’re for the better.” Kagome sighed, looking sadly at the ground.  
“What has my presence done? Helped you kill Naraku? All that achieved was dooming Miroku, and losing Kohaku…” Inuyasha tilted her chin to make her look up at him.  
“If you hadn’t come back, I’d still be on that tree, Shippo might have been killed by the Thunder Brothers as well as his parents, and Sango and Miroku would have never found each other. _Yes_ , you being with us, it _does_ change things, but the changes are worth it.” She seemed still unconvinced. “Hey, if you’re talking about fate, and your hand in changing it, you were _brought_ to us for a reason, if you weren’t meant to change things, you would never have been dragged into my world.”  
  
Kagome perked up slightly, but she still seemed distant as she gazed at the well. “And if that ain’t enough, you _already_ belong there,” he continued, and she looked up at him.  
“I don’t, Inuyasha…”  
“Keh, stop being stupid, you _belong_ with _me_ , those three words don’t mean nothing you know. They make you understand that I want you, they make you understand that we’re _destined_ to be together, and not even _time_ can change that.” Her eyes shined as she looked up into his. He leant forward, placing a kiss on her forehead, then pulling away to meet her eyes once more. “Some things…they transcend time…”  
  
Pulling reluctantly away from him, she turned, opening the doors and walked out. Her Grandpa and brother greeted her happily, but as she gazed back for one final look at Inuyasha, she saw that he had already gone back down the well, to his own world. Still her heart felt light with happiness; she knew he would return for her soon, and she felt that when he did, she would find that it would be harder to let him and the world which she loved so much fly away from her as it had only moments ago.  
  
Back in her ‘own’ time; Kagome Higurashi returned to her usual, tedious life. Kagome ate her dinner as normal at the table with her family, the next day she proceeded to go to her school, where her friends, Yuka, Ayumi and Eri sat idly about her during lessons, chatting of the same tedious nonsense that girls do. Kagome went home that night, a light feeling still inside her, even without Inuyasha beside her. As she sat in her room attempting her large stack of homework, she delighted in the secret she held inside. That beyond the well lay something that was waiting for her return. A light glowed inside her feeling what her friends did not know, that there was a whole world beyond that well, to which she felt she truly belonged to.

  
To Be Continued in Part 3...


End file.
